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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28481124">Bluebird</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marina_North/pseuds/Marina_North'>Marina_North</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Banana Fish (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - 1980s, Choose Your Own Adventure, Creepy, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Evil Plans, Explicit Language, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Fucked Up, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Not Beta Read, Period Typical Attitudes, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pop Culture, Psychological Horror, Supernatural Elements, Weird Plot Shit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:27:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>44,791</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28481124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marina_North/pseuds/Marina_North</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He sees them every day at exactly four in the afternoon, these three boys, racing past the gates on their bikes and shouting like maniacs. Eiji thinks they must be going home from school, based on the backpacks they carried, but he will never know; Eiji has never been to school and he has no idea where it is in this town.</p><p> </p><p>He sees her through the living room window every Saturday afternoon, sitting before the grand piano, in a white cardigan and dark hair tied in a braid. Ash can only see a part of her from where he is, but that’s enough to arrest his curiosity.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ash Lynx &amp; Okumura Eiji &amp; Shorter Wong, Ash Lynx &amp; Shorter Wong, Ash Lynx &amp; Sing Soo-Ling, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Lee Yut-Lung &amp; Okumura Eiji, Sing Soo-Ling &amp; Shorter Wong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>223</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Episode 1: Through the Windows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He sees them every day at exactly four in the afternoon, these three boys, racing past the gates on their bikes and shouting like maniacs. Eiji thinks they must be going home from school based on the backpacks they carried, but he will never know; Eiji has never been to school and he has no idea where it is in this town.</p><p>They look strange, those three—one is short and looks like he is no older than ten, the other has purple hair in spikes, and the last one is always wearing a red hoodie no matter the weather. That hoodie is what made Eiji take notice of them in the first place; he was sitting by his bedroom window the day after they moved in and saw a flash of red, and ever since then he has waited for those three to pass by.</p><p>It’s silly, Eiji knows, but he is fascinated by them, these people who can roam outside freely. He will never get to know how that feels like. The farthest Eiji has gone is the gardens at the back of the house, and even then he is often accompanied by either his father or Yut Lung, his caregiver. They will give Eiji an hour every morning to bathe in the sunlight, nothing more, nothing less. He follows a strict routine: wake up, eat breakfast, take his pills, go to the gardens, drink tea with Yut Lung, pills, study, have dinner, another round of pills, and then bed. The routine only breaks on Saturday when he devotes his afternoons to piano lessons with sir Blanca.</p><p>He never complains about it. It’s what’s best for him, just like dad always says. Eiji cannot handle the outside world yet. It’s too dangerous, too unknown, full of liars and users and everything else his father warned him about. There will come a time when Eiji eventually gets stronger, and when that happens Dad promised him he will take him to the town square at Christmas just like Eiji has always dreamt of.</p><p><em>Just be patient, little bird</em>, he’ll tell him as he poked his nose, making Eiji giggle. <em>Your time will come soon.</em></p><p>So for now Eiji sits by the bedroom window, curtains drawn but with just a tiny gap left in the middle for him to peek through, and perks up when he hears the familiar ding of the short kid’s bike. His is the only one equipped with a bell, but the boy in the red hoodie has a basket in his.</p><p>They go pass Eiji’s house in a blur. He manages to get a glimpse of them before they’re gone, disappearing around the corner into a street that Eiji doesn’t know what looks like.</p><p>There’s a knock on the door. A few seconds later it opens to reveal Yut Lung, holding a tray that has nothing but a pill and a glass of water in it, and Eiji quickly scrambles to pull the curtains shut.</p><p>“Here,” says Yut Lung, placing the medicine on Eiji’s outstretched hand. Once he’s done, he places the tray aside and looks at him critically. “What happened to your hair?”</p><p>Eiji swallows before saying, “What do you mean?”</p><p>“I just braided it a few hours ago,” Yut Lung tells him. “And now it’s all unraveled. Again.”</p><p>He touches the strands falling over his forehead. “I’m sorry. The braid was too tight. It hurt my head, so I took it off.”</p><p>Yut Lung sighs. “Come here, Eiji.”</p><p>“Why?” he asks, confused.</p><p>“So I can do your hair again,” Yut Lung answers, opening the drawers to search for Eiji’s brush. “Well? Come on, sit before the dresser. Your father will get mad at me if I left you looking like that.”</p><p>Eiji tilts his head and decides that no, he doesn’t want Yut Lung to get scolded, so he says, “Okay.”</p><p>“Hmm,” says Yut Lung, eyes meeting Eiji’s in the mirror. “Your hair’s getting longer. We’ll have to cut it next time. Mr. Okumura insists it stays at shoulder-length.”</p><p>“He does,” confirms Eiji. “Mom always wears it that way.”</p><p>“I see. These accessories are hers, right?” Yut Lung says as he picks up a hair tie adorned with tiny sapphires.</p><p>“Yes. Dad used to give her lots of those,” says Eiji, smiling. “He really loves her.”</p><p>“I can tell.” Yut Lung’s hands still. “You look a lot like her.”</p><p>“You think so?” he replies, smile growing wider.</p><p>Yut Lung finishes his hair and says, “More and more with each passing day.”</p><p>Eiji tries to picture his mother, but then he suddenly hears another ding, and his heart leaps as he imagines himself riding a bike down the road, orange leaves swirling around him. Just a little more patience, Eiji reminds himself. Your time will come.</p><p>When it does maybe he’ll cut his hair and get out of these clothes his father has picked out for him. He wants a hoodie just like the one the boy was wearing, but in blue, and he wants a bike with both a basket and a bell.</p><p>He looks at his reflection: braid hanging down his shoulder, brown eyes hidden beneath long lashes, yellow nightshirt hanging loosely from his skinny frame, he looks no more than fifteen. He thinks he looks beautiful—he must be if he resembles his mother—but weak, and he cannot afford to be weak anymore if he wants to experience all of those things.</p><p>Christmas is only a few months away, and Eiji tells himself that this year he’ll finally get better and go to the town square to see all the lights and people, and how wonderful will that be?</p><p>“Eiji, are you alright?” Yut Lung’s voice breaks through his thoughts.</p><p>“Yes,” he says, nodding. “I’m fine.” He hears the double front doors groan open, and he gets up quickly. “Dad’s home! Come, Yut Lung, let’s see what gift he brought me.”</p>
<hr/><p>He sees her through the living room window every Saturday afternoon, sitting before the grand piano, in a white cardigan and dark hair tied in a braid. Ash can only see a part of her from where he is, but that’s enough to arrest his curiosity.</p><p>Saturday afternoon is the only day and time that the Okumuras will open their curtains. They never opened their windows, or gates, not even when their haughty servant comes up the driveway to meet Ash and take the bouquet from his hands. He always has to squeeze them between the iron grids.</p><p>Ash will always linger for a few more minutes after the transaction, just long enough to watch the girl play the first notes of Clair De Lune and not get shooed away. He’s learned his lesson. The last time he spent more than five minutes on the sidewalk, the servant came back out and yelled at him to go, and it’s embarrassing as it is annoying.</p><p>He wonders why the girl is always wearing a cardigan and a blanket over her body, and why she never seems to notice Ash. He thinks she might be home-schooled; he’s never seen her at the hallways or the lockers, and he doesn’t even know Mr. Okumura has a daughter until Griffin had asked him to deliver flowers here a few months ago and he had seen her.</p><p>Today Ash brings fresh yellow daisies. He has just relinquished them to the servant, who glares at him, and Ash sticks out his tongue in retaliation once the doors close behind him. He can see the girl stop playing and clap excitedly when she sees the daisies, and somehow the sight of it makes the difficult trek up the hill slightly worth it.</p><p>Ash stands there in the pavement holding his bike and watching as the girl started pressing the keys again. He can hear the faint sound of Clair De Lune coming through the window, making the cold air feel melancholic. Ash is mesmerized. He’s never learned to play an instrument and he isn’t exactly a fan of classical music, but he can appreciate a good performance, especially when it’s only a few feet away and the pianist is an enigma.</p><p>Mr. Okumura sits on an arm chair just behind the girl, head swaying along to the music, and when he looks up he meets Ash’s eyes. His expression turns from wistful to sour. Startled, Ash hops on his bike and pedals out of there, the leaves that has gathered in the basket of his bike scattering in the wind.</p><p>Cursing himself for running like a chicken, he stops. Ash looks back at the street leading up to the small hill where East Cottage—the infamous and most expensive house here in town that the Okumuras moved into seven months ago—is located, the piano still ringing in his ears. He suddenly regrets not taking up Shorter’s offer last April to throw toilet paper over the cottage gates, because Mr. Okumura really needs to get knocked down a peg.</p><p>As if summoned by his thoughts, Shorter stops next to him on his ridiculous orange bike. He gives Ash an open-mouthed smile, showing off the fake piercing on his tongue, and Ash says, “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I saw you going down the hill like someone was chasing you with an axe and as your best friend I thought I’d help you,” Shorter replies with a shit-eating grin. “So, what’s up? You look pale. Did Mr. Okumura finally caught you peeping at his daughter?”</p><p>Ash flushes at the accusation. “I—I’m not peeping!”</p><p>“Uh-huh. Sure. You just, like, pass by their house everyday in the hopes that you’ll get to see her,” says Shorter, laughing. When he sees Ash’s red face, he adds, “Holy shit! He did caught you, didn’t he?”</p><p>“I already told you, he didn’t,” says Ash. He kicks the bike forward, Shorter following him. “Not like there’s anything to be caught for. I’m not peeping. Or spying. Or anything you’d like to call it.”</p><p>“Then why do you insist we go by their house everyday?”</p><p>“Because it’s the best path to take. There’s way less cars and the sidewalks aren’t cracked. We already talked about this.”</p><p>“Okay—then why do you bring her flowers every Saturday?”</p><p>“It’s literally my job, Shorter. You know Mr. Okumura orders flowers from my brother’s shop.”</p><p>Shorter shrugs. Ash thinks that will be the end of it, but then his best friend opens his stupid mouth again. “Is she hot?”</p><p>“Jesus,” says Ash, exasperated, and Shorter chuckles. They bike in silence, until Ash finally asks, “Don’t you think it’s weird, though?”</p><p>“What is?” asks Shorter. He points at the ice cream shop where some of their classmates are hanging out. “Check it out. There’s Denice Morgan.” He whistles low. “I’m going to ask her to the dance this year.”</p><p>Ash adjusts the basket of his bike. “Go for it. Anyway, as I was saying, don’t you think it’s weird? She’s the only person not going at our school. I bet there are only a few people here in town who even knows Mr. Okumura has a daughter. She’s never been out of that house, I can tell.”</p><p>Shorter rolls his eyes. “Yeah, ‘cause you’ve been watching her like a creep.”</p><p>“Seriously, man,” says Ash. “Think about it. No one ever visits them besides that scary piano teacher. And their windows are always shut. Like, who does that?”</p><p>“Dunno,” says Shorter. He suddenly grabs Ash’s arm, forcing both of them to stop in the middle of the street. “Hey. Hey. So what if—like really, <em>what if</em>—the Okumuras are actually, wait for it,” Shorter takes a deep breath and widens his eyes for a dramatic effect. “<em>Vampires</em>.”</p><p>Ash gives him an unimpressed stare.</p><p>“Ah? See what I’m saying?” says Shorter, gesturing between the two of them. “It explains why they never let in any sunlight, or why Mr. Okumura looks like he has a stick up his butt. Only vampires can be that snobby. Or rich.”</p><p>“Stop it with that bull, okay. I’m serious here.”</p><p>“Me too. Remember when he refused to throw back Cain’s baseball when it landed on his lawn? Old man’s got some issues.”</p><p>“I give up.”</p><p>“Aw, Ash. Work with me here.”</p><p>“This is exactly why Denice Morgan won’t ever go out with you,” Ash says, shaking his head.</p><p>Shorter only smirks. “Just watch me, Ash. Denice and I’ll get together before middle school ends while you pine over Wednesday Addams over there.”</p><p>“Wednesday—you know what, never mind. I’m done. I have to give this money to Griffin.” Ash drove away, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll meet you at the arcade later! Bring Sing!”</p><p>Shorter gives him a thumbs-up.</p>
<hr/><p>Eiji sees him, the boy with the red hoodie, standing across the street on a Sunday morning. That’s never happened before—he is usually with his two friends, and even then it was only to pass by. They never looked at the house, much less stand before it.</p><p>So what is he doing here?</p><p>He peeks at him through the thin curtains of his bedroom window, so he looks more like a mirage rather than an actual person. Eiji holds his breath as the boy starts to shove his bike behind the bushes, him following suit quickly after, thinking he is well hidden when the truth is Eiji can clearly see his blond hair poking through the leaves. The glasses of his binoculars are catching sunlight, making it glint.</p><p>Eiji wonders whether he ought to call for Yut Lung. His caregiver will know what to do with boys spying on their house, he is sure.</p><p>The boy’s head swivels from side to side, surveying the front porch, perhaps trying to see if Eiji’s father is home. Eiji sits back, filled with a mix of dread and curiosity, and his eyes stray to the open sketchbook on his desk. His hands want to reach out to it—but no. No, he shouldn’t communicate with him. People who spy on others can’t be trusted.</p><p>Eiji peeks at him again. The boy remains on his spot, watching the house like a hawk, tongue poking out the side of his lips. He doesn’t look dangerous, although his friend with the purple hair seems so. But people are liars and users and maybe this boy wants to steal from them.</p><p>He quickly stands up, intent on finding Yut Lung, but he slips and takes hold of the curtains and—</p><p><em>Rrrriiiipppppp</em>. The fabric gives way, and Eiji falls hard on the floor. The curtain falls over his head, and for a moment he is shrouded in darkness. He clumsily gets back on his feet and spins around for a few minutes, trying to get the heavy cloth off him, and once he is done he steadies himself. He exhales. Eiji stands there, heart beating fast, before he realizes that sunlight was streaming through his now exposed window and the boy across the street has his binoculars pointed straight at him.</p><p>Eiji screams.</p><p>The boy jumps and lets go of his binoculars just as Yut Lung bursts through the door with an “Eiji! Are you okay? What happened?”</p><p>He doesn’t answer, just points at the window. Yut Lung strides over, pokes his head out, and catches sight of the boy scrambling to get his bike upright.</p><p>“You!” yelled Yut Lung, pointing at him. “Hey! Hey—stay there! Why you—get back here!”</p><p>The boy doesn’t obey him. He swings his leg over the seat, swipes his binoculars off the pavement, then goes off in a cloud of dust.</p><p>Yut Lung lets out a frustrated noise. Eiji plops down on the bed, a hand to his heart.</p>
<hr/><p>Ash is dead. He is so dead.</p><p>“Griff! Hey, Griff!” Ash calls out the moment he gets home. “Griffin!”</p><p>He throws his backpack on the couch.</p><p>“In here,” Griffin’s voice drifts from the kitchen. He goes out into the hallway with an embarrassing yellow polka-dot apron, and if Ash isn’t scared out of his mind he might have teased him for it. “What is it, Ash?”</p><p>“We have to move out,” Ash blurts out.</p><p>“What?” says Griffin, confused.</p><p>He shakes his brother by the shoulders. “Pack your bags! We’re getting out of here!”</p><p>“Whoa, slow down,” says Griffin, bringing his hands up. “What happened?”</p><p>“Mr. Okumura’a going to kill me,” he tells him.</p><p>“Ooookay. And why is that?”</p><p>“Because—um, well—you see…”</p><p>“Uh-um-well—speak up, Aslan.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter,” he finally says. Ash shakes his head. “Look. We have to get out of here.”</p><p>“Ash,” says Griffin, tone laced with worry. “Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”</p><p>“Oh my God, what if Shorter was right and he was a vampire?” he says, pacing around the floor. “Oh my God oh my God oh my God—"</p><p>Griffin studies him. “See, this is what happens when you spend all summer down in the basement playing Dangers and Dragons.”</p><p>“<em>Dungeons and Dragons!</em>” Ash corrects him.</p><p>“That’s what I said,” Griffin retorts. “Your imagination’s running wild again.”</p><p>Ash whines. This isn’t going to work. Griffin doesn’t believe him, and he is too embarrassed to tell him about the real reason why Mr. Okumura might be after him. He tries to think of a way to get him and Griffin out of here safely, but before he can the phone rings, scaring the living lights out of him.</p><p>“Hello?” Griffin says when he picks up. “Yes, it’s me. Huh? Yes, he’s here. What?” He looks over at Ash. “I see. I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to him.” He sighs, and Ash just knows he’s in trouble. “Okay. I’m really sorry. Thank you. Bye.”</p><p>“I’m gonna go to my room,” Ash says right away.</p><p>Griffin turns to him, hands on his hips. “Spying? Really, Ash? ”</p><p>“I didn’t see anything, I swear!” he defends.</p><p>“That’s not the point,” says Griffin. “What were you thinking? Mr. Okumura’s our customer. Our neighbor. Why would you do that?”</p><p>“Look—he’s strange! The whole thing’s strange! Their windows are all covered, the gates are always locked, and his daughter doesn’t go to school!” Ash explains, hand waving around wildly. “I was curious. I wanted to see what was really going on. And there’s something, Griffin. I just <em>know</em> it.”</p><p>Well, he doesn’t. He hasn’t really gotten anything before he got busted, but Griffin doesn’t need to know that. Ash’s instincts were tingling every time he went past East Cottage, and he trusts his guts.</p><p>“Okay, first of all, it’s not strange. What people want to do with their homes and their lives is none of our business,” Griffin tells him pointedly. He shakes his head then pauses. “Wait—daughter?”</p><p>Ash grumbles, embarrassed at being scolded. “Yeah. The one with the stupid braid. She’s always playing the piano.”</p><p>Griffin looks lost.</p><p>“See?” says Ash. “You don’t even know about her. Not strange my ass.”</p><p>“I haven’t seen any daughters,” Griffin admits. “But he does have a son. And his hair is always tied in a braid.”</p><p>Now it’s Ash’s turn to feel lost. Mr. Okumura has a son? But Ash knows what he saw; the soft clothes, the feminine features. That was a girl, no doubt about it…until now.</p><p>Is he wrong? Is Griffin pulling his leg? He looks at his brother and realizes that he’s completely serious. Oh God. Really? So all this time Ash is watching a boy?</p><p>Well shit.</p><p>“What, don’t tell me…” says Griffin, gazing at Ash’s confused expression. He gasps. “You were peeping at his son?”</p><p>“Ewww! No!” he denies immediately. He takes a step back. “That’s gross!”</p><p>Ash hopes the earth would just crack open and swallow him up.</p><p>Griffin pats his head. His eyes are soft. “It’s alright, Ash. I get it. You’re thirteen and you thought he was a girl—”</p><p>The earth better hurry up.</p><p>“It happens. I understand,” Griffin continues. Why won’t he stop? Ash wishes that he will stop. “And you can talk to me about anything, okay? I don’t want you to feel like you should hide something from me—"</p><p>“Ugh! I’m not listening to this!” says Ash, covering his ears and shutting his eyes. “La-la-la-la-la, I’m blocking you out!”</p><p>“Come on, Ash. I’m just saying.”</p><p>“Why’s Ash acting like an idiot?” he hears Sing ask.</p><p>He cracks one eye open and sees Sing, Cain and Shorter on the doorway, looking at him skeptically. Cain has a basketball tucked under his arm. Ash slaps a hand to his forehead. He completely forgot about their game, too focused on his mission this morning.</p><p>“Ash—” Griffin starts.</p><p>“Don’t!” he warns.</p><p>“Wait, let me guess,” says Shorter. He stares at Ash for a few seconds, then suddenly his face lights up. “He was caught peeping at Mr. Okumura’s daughter.”</p><p>Sing’s face twists in disgust. “Really, Ash?”</p><p>“Shut your grade-schooler mouth,” Ash snaps.</p><p>“Well, yes and no,” answers Griffin. “It’s actually his son.”</p><p>“Holy shit!”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“What is happening? Am I missing something?”</p><p>“Stop!” shouts Ash. “No more. We will not talk about this. Not now, not ever.” He stomps up the stairs. “And I was doing reconnaissance!” He mumbles, “Wasn’t spying on any boys or girls or whatever the hell the Okumuras are.”</p><p>“Is that what they call it these days? Renaissance?” says Shorter, wiggling his eyebrows, and Ash resists the urge to point out his wrong vocabulary. “Hey lover boy, where are you going? We’re still playing, right?”</p><p>“I don’t want to any more!” he says, petulant.</p><p>“What a baby,” comments Sing. Rich, coming from him.</p><p>Ash slams his bedroom door shut to drown out Shorter’s boisterous laughter.</p>
<hr/><p>He doesn’t see them anymore. Eiji sits by the window like he always does, waiting for the clock to strike four, but there’s no wheels squeaking or the familiar ding of the short kid’s bike.</p><p>He sighs. Eight days. It’s been eight days since he last saw them, and Eiji doesn’t know whether the blond kid told his friends not to take this path anymore because of what happened last week. Eiji supposed that he should be relieved; after all, he doesn’t have to worry about creeps lurking around the house anymore. His father will be delighted.</p><p>Music sheets are scattered across the bedroom floor, but he has no energy to review them. He has already perfected Clair De Lune. He doesn’t know what piece he wants to learn next. Maybe he’ll let sir Blanca decide the next time he sees him, and maybe Eiji will also ask him about what he did for Halloween this year.</p><p>He has no idea what people does on this holiday. He sees pumpkins displayed on the doors and sidewalks of the houses in front of them, and little children parading around as different characters, but he doesn’t understand what it was for. What’s the point of going around in uncomfortable clothing and asking for candies? It doesn’t make sense.</p><p>It also looks very fun.</p><p>Eiji entertains the thought for a while, him wearing a costume, but quickly discards the idea when he realizes that he probably won’t be able to walk around town. He’ll get tired quickly and Yut Lung will have to carry him back home. It’ll be a burden to both of them.</p><p>“Medicine,” Yut Lung announces.</p><p>Eiji takes the pill dry and goes to bed even though it’s only five. He feels drained. Yut Lung fusses over him, repeatedly asking if he’s okay, but Eiji is already drifting off to sleep.</p>
<hr/><p>Ash sees him again—Mr. Okumura’s son or daughter or whatever, he doesn’t care anymore—on a Sunday night, in both an awkward setting and situation.</p><p>Really, this is all Shorter’s fault. Sing’s too. Maybe even his brother’s. Ash will blame the whole damn world just for the sake of it.</p><p>Because now Mr. Okumura’s son is staring outside his window directly at Ash, who is clinging at the tree branch for dear life and with a bunch of gum in his mouth. He looks like he’s frozen in place, and Ash hopes he can get back down before the boy calls for his father.</p><p>He looks down, trying to gauge the distance between the branch he is on and the ground, and curses under his breath when he finds out that there’s no way he can jump from this height without at least breaking a bone or two. He can't have that. It will be impossible to climb over the gates while injured. Seriously, damn Shorter and Sing! Ash is gonna lose his life for a stupid bet.</p><p>“I’ll give you half my candy if you can go up his bedroom window and stick gums on it,” Shorter had told him.</p><p>“Why would I do that?” said Ash. “That’s disgusting. ‘sides, I don’t want your stupid candy. I have a better haul than you.”</p><p>Sing munched on a Mars bar and said, “I’ll add a dollar for it, Ash.”</p><p>“No,” he said decisively. “Just give it up, will you?”</p><p>The two exchanged looks.</p><p>Shorter said, “Fine. I guess it’s hard to go to your crush’s house.”</p><p>“For the last time, he’s not my crush,” said Ash, irritated.</p><p>“Whatever you say,” said Shorter, clearly condescending. “I get it. You’re scared that maybe you’ll see him and think he doesn’t look that bad even if he’s a boy.”</p><p>“Yeah, Ash,” agreed Sing. “It’s fine. We accept you even if you’re a pussy.”</p><p>“Or if you don’t want one. You know, either way,” said Shorter.</p><p>“That’s it,” said Ash, taking off the feathered cap he was wearing. He had gone as Peter Pan this Halloween. “I’ll go over there and prove to you that I don’t like him, and that I’m not scared of old man Okumura either.”</p><p>By the time Ash has realized what he’s said, it was already too late to back down.</p><p>So here he is now, right outside this boy’s bedroom in a goddamn Peter Pan costume and holding his breath as he waits for the inevitable shouting, but to his surprise it never came.</p><p>The boy unlatched the window and pushes it up. Ash continues chewing gum because what else is he supposed to do, and watches as the boy leans forward ever so slightly.</p><p>“What are you doing?” he asks, voice soft like wind chimes.</p><p>“ ‘m sorry, t'was a bet by my stup’d friends en—” he says, words garbled by his full mouth, and he feels like a total loser. “Don’ call your dad. Please.”</p><p>The boy tilts his head to the side. “You look funny.”</p><p>“Yeah. Tell me ‘bout it,” Ash says helplessly. He spits the gum out into his hand. The boy backs away like he’d just threw up a hairball. “Look, I’m just going to leave. Pretend like this never happened. Deal?”</p><p>He only gapes at him.</p><p>“Right,” says Ash uncertainly. “I’m just gonna go. Don’t tell your dad, okay?”</p><p>Ash has to make sure he doesn't get into trouble again. Griffin doesn't usually ground him, but he's pretty sure two strikes in a span of a week is too much even for him.</p><p>“Did you climb over the gate?” the boy asks suddenly.</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>“Then up this tree?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Why would you do that?” He sounds genuinely curious.</p><p>“It was just a stupid bet,” Ash mutters. He looks at the boy, who has walked closer to the ledge again. “I’m sorry I interrupted your sleep. I promise—wait, are you wearing a dress?”</p><p>The boy looks down at his clothes. “It’s a nightshirt.”</p><p>“Okay. Cool,” says Ash, though he still squints at him. This boy is different. Like, real different. He has long dark hair framing his face, his eyes are too wide, and he’s white as a sheet. He looks too pretty, so no wonder he’s mistaken him for a girl back then. Maybe Shorter hit the mark after all; the Okumuras are vampires. “Cool. Look—I’m sorry. For everything. Like tonight and last week.”</p><p>He just blinks at him.</p><p>“I have to go,” says Ash. “Thanks for not shouting.”</p><p>He hops down on the branch below.</p><p>“Wait,” the boy says.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“What’s your name?”</p><p>“Uh, Ash,” he replies awkwardly. “What about yours?”</p><p>The boy bites his lip before saying quietly, “Eiji.”</p><p>“Well, Eiji, it was nice to meet you,” he replies. “But I really need to go. Bye!”</p><p>Ash hurries down, and once his feet hit the ground he runs, only sparing a glance over his shoulder once he’s reached the gate. Eiji has already closed his windows and drawn the blinds, and for some reason Ash is a little disappointed that he hasn’t watched him escape.</p>
<hr/><p>Eiji sees them again the next week, these three boys, racing their bikes past the house while singing very loudly. He follows them with his eyes, and it might just be Eiji’s imagination, but he is sure Ash waved at him.</p><p>He almost waves back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My first multi-chaptered fic. I wrote this on a whim, so there might be some errors.</p><p>I was listening to those light and dark academia playlists on YouTube, and this story doesn't really follow that aesthetic nor was inspired by it, but it helped me write because it was relaxing to listen to.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Episode 2: Alice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fic info:</p><p>Here Ash, Sing, Shorter, and Eiji are the same age: 13.</p><p>Meanwhile, Yut Lung, Blanca, Griffin and Eiji's father are the adults.</p><p>The places and people here are all just figments of my imagination.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ash enters his room to see Shorter and Sing already there, the former on his bed with an open X-Men comic book on his lap, while the latter’s sprawled out on the floor with his eyes closed and a bunch of candy wrappers surrounding him. Ash guesses he hasn't emptied his Halloween haul yet. He walks over to Sing and kicks him on the side, causing him to sit up.</p><p>“Hey!” says Sing indignantly. “What was that for?”</p><p>“Clean that up or I swear I’ll ban you from my room,” Ash tells him, pointing at the mess he’s made. “Now.”</p><p>Sing mocks him by repeating what Ash said in a higher pitch, but he does what he’s told. He picks up the wrappers, balls them up, then throws it at the trash bin. He misses and it explodes on the floor, leaving a mess again.</p><p>Ash ‘s nostrils flare. Sing only shrugs at him.</p><p>“Jesus, Sing, you suck,” Ash tells him. He kicks the wrappers aside and holds a hand up. “Leave it. I’ll clean it later. We have something important to talk about.”</p><p>Shorter tosses the comic book aside and leans forward. Sing climbs on the bed and sits next to him, and they watch in concern as Ash putters around his bedroom, drawing the curtains shut and locking the door like he's a madman.</p><p>“Uh,” says Shorter uncertainly. “Are you alright, Ash?”</p><p>Ash pulls up his desk chair and parks himself in front of his two friends. “There’s something strange going on.”</p><p>“Okay?” says Shorter, still not sure where this is going. “What kind of thing are we talking about?”</p><p>“Is this about your brother dating Beth Pierce? Because I know it’s weird that she used to be my baby sitter—” says Sing, but Ash cuts him off.</p><p>“What? No. I don’t care about your stupid baby sitter.”</p><p>That’s only half a lie, though. Ash still thinks it’s gross that his brother’s kissing Beth Pierce, because back when they were kids Sing told him he saw her shaving once, and that he believed she actually grew a mustache and beard. Ash now knows that’s a lie, but it always pops up in his mind whenever he sees her.</p><p>“It’s about the Okumuras,” Ash tells them, and Sing groans.</p><p>“I knew it,” he says. “Ash, you’re acting like a creep. Going to their house every weekend with your binoculars and taking stupid notes—”</p><p>“They’re not stupid. It’s for research.”</p><p>“You’re just spying on them again.”</p><p>“Ssh! Griffin might hear you,” says Ash, glancing at the door.</p><p>“Yeah, I hope he does, so he can stop you from whatever this is you’re doing,” says Sing. He scoots to the edge of the bed and starts putting his shoes on. “I can’t believe you called us here for this.”</p><p>“Wait, Sing, you don’t understand,” says Ash. “Something really is going on. I promise.”</p><p>Sing squints at him before he finally relents. “Fine. What is it?”</p><p>“So, this morning, Griffin came with me to deliver the flowers to the Okumuras. They ordered a ton of roses,” he informs them. He shushes Sing before he can open his mouth. “And just now when I was going down from the chapel—"</p><p>“What’re you doing there?” says Sing.</p><p>“Shut up Sing and let the guy speak,” Shorter tells him. He turns to Ash. “So what? They ordered a bunch of bouquets. Maybe Mr. Okumura finally bit the dust and they’re holding a funeral. Family only.”</p><p>Morbid, but not impossible either.</p><p>“Nah. I saw him,” says Ash, and Shorter tuts in disappointment. “He was greeting their guests in this stuffy suit.”</p><p>“Wait—guests?” says Sing, curiosity finally piqued.</p><p>Ash nods. “Yes. And there’s a lot of them. They all came in these fancy ass cars. You know, Cadillacs and whatever else rich people drive in. And they’re all wearing black.”</p><p>“Maybe Shorter’s right and someone died,” Sing concedes. He looks at Ash carefully. “You don’t think it’s Wendy, right?”</p><p>“His name’s Eiji,” Ash replies. He never should have told them about what happened that night. “Stop it with the Wendy crap.”</p><p>“I will when he stops wearing a dress.”</p><p>“Night shirt.”</p><p>“Whatever, Peter. Why don’t you go whisk him away?”</p><p>It seems like Sing is really testing his patience today.</p><p>“Hey, Ash,” Shorter pipes up before he can strangle Sing. “These people, are they, like, holding black umbrellas?”</p><p>Ash tries to remember. “Some women are. I don’t know. I mean, what kind of question is that?”</p><p>“Umbrellas, man!” says Shorter, eyes shining. “You know they can’t let themselves get hit by sunlight.”</p><p>“Wait,” says Sing, looking between the two of them. “You actually think they’re vampires?”</p><p>“Shorter does,” Ash answers. “I’m thinking more along the lines of a crazy cult.”</p><p>“A cult in Oaks Town?” says Shorter dismissively. “Please.”</p><p>“You believe in vampires but not in cults? How does that even make sense?”</p><p>“Jesus,” says Sing, falling back on the bed.</p><p>“Exactly what they need, Sing,” says Shorter, grinning. He makes a sweep of Ash’s bedroom. “I bet Mr. Okumura can hear us talking right now. Vampires have super hearing, you know.”</p><p>Although Ash thinks Shorter was full of shit, the statement still made him a little nervous.</p><p>“Stop it, Shorter. Vampires aren’t real,” Sing says, annoyed.</p><p>“Only one way to find out,” Ash proclaims. He opens his backpack and dumps the contents on the floor. “<em>This</em> is the reason why I was down at the chapel.”</p><p>“Woah, is this holy water?” says Sing, holding up the small plastic bottle filled with clear liquid.</p><p>Ash says, “Yup. I also have here a cross, my binoculars, some flashlights, and…wafers. Huh.”</p><p>“You’ve come prepared, son,” says Shorter in a deep voice, patting Ash’s shoulder. Ash swats his hand away. He rummages around the pile. “Where’s the weapons?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“The weapons, Ash! The pocket knife, wooden stake, the garlic!”</p><p>“What—why would I bring those? Griffin will kill me if he sees me playing with a knife.”</p><p>“You’re hopeless. Please tell me you <em>at least</em> have garlic.”</p><p>“There’s some in the kitchen, calm down,” says Ash. He looks up at Shorter. “You really think we should bring some weapons?”</p><p>Shorter karate-chops the air. “Yeah. Just in case we have to fight for our lives.”</p><p>Sing rolls his eyes.</p><p>“We’re just going to watch them,” Ash says, but now he’s doubting his initial plan. Maybe they should bring weapons, after all. Is a baseball bat effective? “We just go there at East Cottage and go up the driveway. The gates are opened because there’s plenty of people coming and going. We sneak ‘round the house and spy through the windows, and then we’ll see if they’re having a ball or if there’s some kind of ritual going on.”</p><p>“What if they’re drinking blood?” says Shorter excitedly. “You know, like in the movies where the head vampire holds up this glass bowl filled with it and everyone just goes crazy.”</p><p>Sing grimaces. “Jeez, I hope not. That’s gross.”</p><p>“Okay,” Ash says, shoving the cross in the back pocket of his jeans. “I want you to gather all the things you need and meet me by the corner of Pine and Sycamore at seven.”</p><p>“Alright. I’m going to look for my grandpa’s crossbow,” says Shorter, rubbing his hands together.</p><p>“Good luck with that,” Sing says, voice dripping with sarcasm.</p><p>Once they’re gone, Ash shoves his things back into his bag. He makes a quick trip downstairs, making sure that Griffin’s busy watching TV in the living room before taking all of the garlic in the pantry.</p><p>He may not believe Shorter’s theory entirely, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.</p>
<hr/><p>“Do I really have to wear it?” Eiji asks.</p><p>He looks at the dress laid out on the bed for him. It’s pretty, a powder blue, knee-length thing with puffed up sleeves that once belonged to his mother. He doesn’t want to wear it.</p><p>“Why can’t I just use one of my cardigans?” he says, spreading his arms out to show the one he has on now. “You said I look good in anything.”</p><p>“You do, sweetheart,” his father tells him. He gestures at the dress. “But today is a special occasion. It’s your big day, remember?”</p><p>Eiji bites his lip. It is his big day. Nana is coming with all of her colleagues, whom dad says are all important people, and he is going to play Clair de Lune for them. He’s been practicing for months. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself in front of an audience, specially not to his grandmother who he’s meeting for the very first time.</p><p>But wearing his mother’s dress? It seems a little bit over the top. He loves her things—all the accessories and the canopy above his bed, most specifically the grand piano she left behind—but her clothes are another matter. Eiji always thought that his father never wants anyone to touch them, but he supposes he’s wrong.</p><p>He tries again, anyway. “What if I wear one of my yukatas?”</p><p>“You can’t,” his father says. “Your grandmother doesn’t like those.”</p><p>Weird. His father loves it when Eiji dons Japanese clothes, but for some reason he’s set on impressing Nana.</p><p>“Come on, little bird,” dad urges him gently. “Just this once? For me?”</p><p>“Okay,” he says quietly, and the look of absolute delight that crossed his dad’s face tells Eiji that he gave the right response.</p><p>Eiji shreds his clothes off until he’s standing there with nothing but his underwear. Goosebumps appear on his skin. He crosses his arms over his chest to protect himself from the cold, but his dad pries them off.</p><p>“Don’t cover yourself,” he says as he walks around Eiji. He pokes him under the ribs. “You’re putting on a lot of weight. I think we should cut back on dessert again.”</p><p>Eiji makes a non-committal sound.</p><p>“No more tarts for you,” says dad, and Eiji wants to protest because he loves the lemon-flavored ones so much, but he keeps his mouth shut. If his father says no more desserts, then that’s it. Eiji knows so little, and him everything, so whatever he decides must be for the best.</p><p>He helps Eiji into the dress, holding his hair up as he zips the back close. It’s a tight fit. Eiji thinks he might have a hard time later when he has to sit and eat, but for now he’s just relieved that he hasn’t ripped it yet. His father once had him wear a corset when he can’t fit into the kimono he’s bought for him, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.</p><p>Besides, Eiji doesn’t think he can forgive himself if he ruins his mom’s dress.</p><p>“I look like Cinderella,” says Eiji. He touches the puffed up sleeve and laughs softly when he feels the fabric bounce.</p><p>His father looks at his reflection and says, “No, you look like Elise in the summer of ’69.”</p><p><em>Elise</em>. That’s what her name was. Eiji swallows a lump in his throat and stays still as his father ties a silver bow around his waist, making it even harder to breathe. He smiles at Eiji once he’s done.</p><p>“Now we just have to fix your hair,” he tells him. He runs to the dresser and opens Eiji’s small, treasure chest. “Ah,” he says gleefully as he picks out a pearl studded clip. “This would go well with your dress. We’ll just have to pull some of your hair out of your face. See?”</p><p>Eiji nods. “I think it looks lovely, dad.”</p><p>“<em>You</em> look lovely,” he says, poking Eiji’s nose. He giggles like always. “I think your grandmother will love you.”</p><p>“Doesn’t she already?”</p><p>His father’s smile falters for a second before going back to normal.</p><p>“Of course,” his dad says, smoothing out the creases in the fabric. “Of course she does.”</p>
<hr/><p>“I can’t believe you,” says Ash as the three of them journey through the night. “I literally cannot believe you.”</p><p>“What?” says Shorter. “You know I look cool.”</p><p>“You look like an idiot,” Sing comments.</p><p>“The two of you are just jealous,” says Shorter. He pats the fedora on his head. “I’m going to Van Helsing the shit out of this.”</p><p>“We’re supposed to be discreet,” Ash scolds. “And here you are in a hat and utility belt.”</p><p>“Where else am I supposed to stuff all of those garlic? Holy water? A utility belt is essential. Just be grateful I didn’t bring the crossbow.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Ash says, shaking his head at his best friend’s antics. "Just try not to draw attention ro yourself, okay?"</p><p>They stop just a few blocks away from the Okumura residence. All the lights are on at East Cottage, making it shine like a beacon on top of the small hill. Ash, Sing, and Shorter deposit their bikes at the Dubose’s front yard, fully trusting kind Mrs. Dubose to watch over them, before they start their trek up the sidewalk. Ash keeps a tight grip on the straps of his backpack. He feels like his hands will start to shake if he doesn’t.</p><p>“You know,” Sing says casually. Despite claiming that this trip is lame and that vampires aren’t real, he’s still wearing a rosary around his neck. “I do find it strange that the first time they ever open their doors, they don’t invite some of their neighbors over.”</p><p>“I know! Nadia came over and gave them a welcome basket after they moved in, but she was <em>re-jec-ted</em>,” says Shorter, obviously miffed with how his sister was treated. “The Okumuras may not be vampires, but they sure are jerks.”</p><p>Ash wants to speak up and say that Eiji doesn’t seem like a jerk, but he stops himself. If Ash says anything about him again, Sing and Shorter will tease him, and he’s not sure if he has the energy to handle that right now. Besides, what does he even know about Eiji? Practically nothing. Ash has no obligation to defend him or his dad (who does seem like a jerk) so yeah—screw it.</p><p>But he thinks about seeing Eiji every Saturday, playing the piano in his white cardigan. There’s an air of loneliness about him. Maybe it’s the way his shoulders droop a little under the heavy blanket they drape over him when he’s done playing, or maybe it’s because his eyes are wide like a lost puppy’s. Eiji must be sad being all locked up like that; Ash may not like school so much, but at least he gets to meet other people. Eiji is stuck with his dad and that annoying servant, and Ash feels a little bad for him.</p><p>“We’re here,” announces Sing.</p><p>The iron gates are wide open, and the three of them waste no time skirting the side of the lawn, ducking behind the parked cars whenever someone goes out the front porch. Ash can feel Shorter buzzing with excitement next to him, fedora peeking through the hood from where they are hiding, so he pulls him down to talk.</p><p>“Take off that hat,” Ash whispers harshly. “You’re gonna get us caught.”</p><p>Shorter thankfully doesn’t need to be told twice.</p><p>Sing looks around the corner and says, “There’s a window close to us.”</p><p>“How close?” Ash inquires.</p><p>“Maybe three feet?” replies Sing. “I think it overlooks the living room. We can crouch under the ledge, though we can’t all peek through at once.”</p><p>“Sounds good to me,” Shorter says with a shrug. “Let’s just take turns looking. Let's go."</p><p>Ash feels ridiculous crawling across the grass on his hands and knees, but Shorter and Sing looks so serious about it so he can’t really complain. He doesn't want to be called a baby again.</p><p>“Alright, Mission Van Helsing has commenced,” Shorter narrates. They stop, backs to the wall on either side of the window—Ash to the right, with Sing and Shorter to the left. “Here they are, fearless vampire slayers, about to burst through the coven's headquarters—”</p><p>“Shut up,” Sing hisses. Shorter settles with humming some movie soundtrack. “Who’s going to look first?”</p><p>“I will,” Shorter volunteers. He pushes Sing aside. “Sing, go over there and keep a lookout.”</p><p>“What? Don’t boss me around, you purple—”</p><p>Shorter shushes him as he kneels in front of the window, hands cupped around his eyes in an imitation of a binocular. Sing shakes his head in exasperation, but he keeps an eye around the corner just like Shorter instructed.</p><p>“Well?” Ash asks. “What’s going on?”</p><p>“There’s a lot of people,” says Shorter. “Almost all of them are women. And you’re right; they’re all in black like it’s a freakin’ funeral.”</p><p>“What are they doing?”</p><p>“Dunno. They’re just standing around and talking. Oh wait—I think I see something interesting.”</p><p>“What?” Ash speaks up. He wishes Shorter will hurry so he can take his place. “What is it?”</p><p>“There’s this woman that’s seated on like this throne in the middle of the floor. Everyone’s kissing her hand,” Shorter reports. He turns to Ash. “What does the queen of UK look like?”</p><p>“For the love of—” says Ash, squeezing next to him on the window. “Move over.”</p><p>He looks over to what Shorter’s referring to and sees that there is, in fact, a line of people waiting to kiss this woman’s hand. She looks old, but not old-<em>old,</em> more like his math teacher Mrs. Smith who’s in her forties or fifties. The hem of her black dress is reaching the floor, a lot of rings adorning her fingers even though they’re covered by lace gloves.</p><p>Ash thinks he’s already seen her before, but he isn’t sure where and how. When she looks up to speak to one of the guests, that’s when Ash sees it, the resemblance to Eiji’s brown eyes, though hers look sharper and more menacing.</p><p>He suddenly feels like they should go. Quickly.</p><p>“Hey, look,” says Shorter, pointing at the staircase.</p><p>They watch as Mr. Okumura escorts a girl down the steps. Shorter lets out an appreciative hum, but Ash knows better. He presses his face on the glass to get a better look—and yup, there’s no mistaking it. That’s Eiji. Why he’s wearing a dress and his face is all powdered up is beyond Ash, but he refrains from commenting because he honestly doesn’t know what to say except that he looks like Cinderella.</p><p>Shorter narrows his eyes as Eiji settles in front of the piano.</p><p>“Wait a second…” he whips his head around to look at Ash. “Jesus, is that Wendy?”</p><p>“Eiji,” he replies automatically, cheeks red, though he has no idea why. He hopes it’s dark enough out here for his friends not to see his face. “Yeah, that’s him.”</p><p>“What about Wendy?” asks Sing, crawling over to them and trying to take a peek.</p><p>“Eiji,” Ash reminds them for a hundredth time. He lets out an indignant <em>hey!</em> when Shorter knocks him to the side. “There’s no more room, Sing.”</p><p>Sing ignores him as he pushes his face up the window. His eyes go wide. “Is that him? He looks like a girl. Like, a real girl.”</p><p>He does. Eiji looks better than most of those girls at school, maybe even better than Denice Morgan.</p><p>“He’s turn into a full fairy,” says Shorter, prompting Sing to laugh.</p><p>“Don’t call him that,” Ash snaps. Sing immediately stops. “We don’t call people that.”</p><p>The two of them have the decency to look ashamed.</p><p>“You’re right,” says Shorter. He should know better; the bullies at school often use it as an insult, and they swore an oath to be better than those trolls. “Sorry.”</p><p>Ash knows he is, but he still doesn't feel good about it.</p><p>“He looks pretty, Ash,” Sing says, as if that’s supposed to make everything better.</p><p>Ash mumbles something that sounds like, <em>it’s fine, forget it. </em></p><p>“Anyway, what’s happening?” says Shorter after a stretch of silence. “Is he going to play?”</p><p>He realizes that neither of his friends have ever heard Eiji before, so he just tells them: “Be quiet and watch.”</p><p>So they do.</p>
<hr/><p>Eiji is in his element. He’s playing flawlessly, hands flying across the familiar keys, not even looking up at the music sheets sir Blanca placed in front of him. He doesn’t need them. This piece is something he’s been working on for months, and to be completely honest he’s found it way too easy to learn.</p><p>He’s a prodigy, that’s what dad always tells him.</p><p><em>Just like your mother,</em> he adds right after. <em>She’s a pianist too, you know, Eiji. Best I’ve ever seen.</em></p><p>He risks a glance at Nana, who has a front seat to his performance, although he can’t tell whether she’s enjoying it. She’s so still that one might mistake her for a statue. Her back is straight, and her eyes are unblinking as she watches him play. Eiji gulps.</p><p>His father stands beside Nana, looking proud. He gives Eiji an encouraging nod when he looks over, and that’s enough to push him to do his best. More than Eiji’s desire to please his grandmother is his love for his dad, and he knows how important this performance is for him, so he ignores Nana’s lack of enthusiasm and pours his heart out.</p><p>He’s reaching the final notes when he sees him.</p><p>Eiji startles when his eyes meet Ash’s green ones, and his finger slips. The wrong key echoes around the room. Nana purses her lips.</p><p><em>What is he doing here?</em> Eiji thinks as he composes himself and plays again, albeit a little slower.</p><p>God, this is embarrassing. He peers at the window from the corner of his eyes and sees that Ash’s two friends are there as well. It takes all of Eiji’s willpower to not get up and flee there and then.</p><p>The performance ends and the clapping of the audience sounds faraway. He lets out a shaky breath. Eiji bows to them just like sir Blanca taught him, and when he straightens up he notices that Ash and his friends are already gone, along with his father and Nana.</p>
<hr/><p>The cold wind pricks Ash’s face as the three of them run out of the gates and down the hill. Shorter is acting like an idiot, waving his hat in the air while declaring, “Sound the church bell! Vampires are at Oaks Town!”</p><p>“For Chrissake, Shorter, don’t you ever shut up?” pants Sing.</p><p>“My senses are tingling,” Shorter insists. “My senses are tingling.”</p><p>“Nobody cares about your damn senses!” screams Sing.</p><p>“Both of you, shut up!” says Ash, his patience finally gone.</p><p>They skid to a stop in front of the Dubose’s, where their bikes are now leaning against the fence separating them from their neighbor. He dares to look back. East Cottage looks the same; no sign that they’ve been seen and followed. Except by Eiji, but well—that’s a whole different matter.</p><p>“Oh Gods,” says Sing as he sits by the sidewalk, trying to catch his breath. “I really thought that woman saw us. She turned her head when we stood up to go.” He shivers. “I don’t know man, but she gives me the creeps.”</p><p>“She’s one of the Elders, maybe even the Grand Elder,” concludes Shorter. “She looks way too pretty for a hag. I bet she drinks the blood of babies.”</p><p>Sing looks like he’s about to have a headache from listening to Shorter.</p><p>“He made a mistake,” Ash says quietly.</p><p>“What?” asks Sing, confused.</p><p>Ash doesn’t repeat himself. He sits next to Sing. Oh man, he feels so bad. He knows he’s ruined Eiji’s performance—he <em>just knows</em> it. He looks surprised when he saw Ash and stopped playing for a second, and Ash is no piano genius, but he’s heard that piece before, on many Saturday afternoons, and Eiji made a mistake.</p><p>He looked very heartbroken over it.</p><p>Sing stands up to retrieve his bike. “Let’s go home.”</p><p>Shorter follows him, and together they hop over the seats, ready to go before they notice Ash is still sitting on the sidewalk.</p><p>“Ash?” Shorter calls out. “Hey, you okay?”</p><p>Ash stands up and brushes the dirt off his jeans.</p><p>“I’m going back,” he tells them. He can’t go to sleep if he doesn’t go back. The guilt will eat at him.</p><p>“Cool,” says Shorter uncertainly. He studies Ash. “You mean home, right?”</p><p>Ash shakes his head. He starts up the hill again, much to his friends’ awe.</p><p>“Are you serious?” Sing says, incredulous.</p><p>“I have to do something!” he yells as he breaks into a run. “Don’t wait for me!”</p>
<hr/><p>Eiji follows Yut Lung to his bedroom without a word. He loves living at East Cottage, with its high ceilings and brick walls and garden, but now he feels like everything is about to collapse in on him.</p><p>He’s itching to take off his dress. The fabric is sticking to his body, so he has to remember to suck in his stomach, because however little fat there is to it, he still doesn't want it to show. He doesn’t want to look anything but perfect. He feels like Nana, and even his father, expects him to be perfect tonight.</p><p>Yut Lung opens the door and ushers Eiji inside. He waits for the caregiver to follow him, but Yut Lung only shuts the door softly. He suddenly feels trapped.</p><p>“Hello dear,” a voice says.</p><p>Eiji turns sharply. There, standing by the dresser, is Nana. She’s taken off her gloves, showing off perfectly trimmed nails. She traces a finger over the array of hairbands stuck between the wall and mirror, as if she’s memorizing every inch of Eiji’s wardrobe, and tuts in disapproval when she sees something out of place.</p><p>“Eiji, little bird,” his father says from his spot by the bed. Eiji walks over to him and squeaks when he pushes him towards Nana almost forcefully. “Say hi to your grandmother.”</p><p>“H-hello, Nana,” Eiji says, lowering his eyes.</p><p>She waves a hand. “Call me Alice. Nana makes me seem like an old witch.” She gestures for him to step forward. “Come closer so I can take a good look at you.”</p><p>Eiji casts an uneasy glance at his father, but he only encourages him to do as he’s bid. He takes small steps towards Alice, who grabs him the moment he’s at arm’s reach.</p><p>“You’re right,” she says as she turns Eiji's face left and right. His jaw hurts from how hard her grip is. “Same eyes, same hair. How fortunate.”</p><p>His father says happily, “I know.”</p><p>Alice lets him go and frowns when Eiji rubs his jaw. “You started playing the piano at five?”</p><p>Eiji nods, still refusing to meet her eyes.</p><p>“And how old are you now?” she asks.</p><p>“Thirteen," Eiji replies, and although he's only telling her his age he still feels like he's being quizzed and that his answers aren't enough for Alice.</p><p>“Do you like it, playing the piano?”</p><p>“Very much."</p><p>“I see,” she says. “Your recital—it was a little sloppy at the end.”</p><p>He flushes in embarrassment. He wants to tell her that he did his best, that he just got distracted, but his mouth seems to have stopped working.</p><p>She shrugs, careless. “Still good, though. Almost as good as my Elise’s.”</p><p>A compliment? The side of Eiji's lips turns up slightly.</p><p>“You know she wore that dress when she performed at New York when she was eighteen,” Alice tells him, tone fond. “Ah yes, 1969. Beautiful Elise, captivating the crowd with her talent and blue dress.”</p><p>“Alice,” his dad says. Eiji startles; he almost forgot that he’s there. “Alice, maybe he’s ready. You said—”</p><p>“He’s ready when <em>I</em> say he is,” she hisses, and Eiji’s father looks like he’s been slapped. Alice gives Eiji a once over. “Sixteen. Yes, that’s the perfect age, I think.”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t know what they’re talking about, but whatever it is seems to agitate his father. He clenches his fists until his knuckles turn white.</p><p>Alice takes notice of this and says, “Be patient, Kenji. You know I want this just as much as you do.”</p><p>He opens his mouth to retort, but suddenly seems to think better of it because all he does is nod.</p><p>“I see that most of his things are Elise’s,” she observes.</p><p>“Just like you instructed,” dad replies, and the conversation is making Eiji’s head spin.</p><p>“Things would’ve been a lot easier if you had a daughter.” She pulls her gloves on and delicately slid her rings back one by one. “But oh well. I guess it doesn’t matter once all’s said and done.” She struts to the door and tells Eiji, “It was nice meeting you, dear. Continue to play. I’ll visit again next year, so make sure to put on a show for me, okay?”</p><p>“You’re leaving already?” his father asks.</p><p>“No, silly, I’m just going downstairs,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “Come, Kenji. I think we made the <em>guest</em> wait long enough.”</p><p>Eiji remains rooted to his spot even when they’ve already gone. His mind is reeling; somehow he wants to know everything and nothing all at once. This night didn’t go as he expected him to. Nana—Alice—isn’t what he thought she was. She doesn’t even look old enough to be his grandmother.</p><p>There’s a tap on his window, and Eiji clutches his heart in surprise. Really, how many twists and turns can one day bring?</p><p>Apparently it can bring a lot, because when Eiji pushes his window up he’s met with green eyes for the second time.</p><p>“Good lord,” Ash greets as he climbs up the branch to be on the same level as Eiji. “I thought they weren’t ever going to leave.”</p><p>It’s shaping up to be a long night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>After this chapter I'll be updating Bluebird every week.</p><p>The only reason why I was able to post the first two chapters almost back-to-back is because I've been on holiday, but tomorrow I go back to work. So expect Episode Three next week.</p><p>Thank you to all those who left a kudos, bookmark, and comment. I really appreciate it. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Episode 3: Starry-eyed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It feels surreal to find Ash outside his bedroom window, face a little grimy from sweat and smiling up at him like they were old friends. Why and how he’s here, Eiji has no idea, but he’s having a hard time processing the situation because his mind is still preoccupied with Alice’s words.</p><p>“Aren’t you going to invite me inside?” Ash asks lightly. “My feet’s starting to hurt. I’ve been up here for, like, half an hour.”</p><p>“No,” says Eiji automatically, because confused or not Eiji will always know the answer to those kinds of questions.</p><p>He may know his name, but he’s still very much a stranger, and Eiji’s been warned about people like him. He shouldn’t even be here. Eiji let him off the hook the last time, but that’s it. Anyone who spends his weekends spying on Eiji’s family is most definitely up to no good.</p><p>“Oh. I see.” Ash’s face falls and he scratches the back of his neck. “Guess I’ll just stay here then.”</p><p>Eiji goes straight to the point: “What do you want?”</p><p>He’ll give whatever it is and send Ash on his way. He studies the scenery outside, looking for any signs of Ash’s friends, but there is none. Eiji narrows his eyes. Maybe Ash wants to know if they have leftover candy from Halloween? If he does then tough luck for both of them; they didn’t open their doors for trick-or-treat so Eiji has nothing.</p><p>When Ash answers him it isn’t to ask for candies. It isn’t for anything Eiji is expecting, really.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he says, sincere. “It’s my fault you messed up earlier, so I’m sorry.”</p><p>Eiji just stands there, dumbfounded.</p><p>“I didn’t mean to surprise you. We shouldn’t even be in that window in the first place,” Ash continues.</p><p>“You’re right,” Eiji replies, though it sounds more agreeable than snobbish. “You shouldn’t be.”</p><p>Ash raises his hand in a pledge and says: “But we were just curious, I swear. See, my friend, Shorter, he thought you were vampires—"</p><p>“What?” says Eiji, taken aback.</p><p>“—but I don’t believe him, not really, so we went here to try and see if, you know, you were holding some kind of gathering,” Ash rambles on, and Eiji can’t keep up.</p><p>“Wait—vampires?” he repeats.</p><p>“Yeah, but I don’t believe it. I mean,” Ash says, shuffling his feet, “you’re not a vampire, are you?” He pauses then looks at Eiji with uncertainty. “Y-you’d tell me if you are, right?”</p><p>Where on earth did Ash and his friends get that idea? Honestly Eiji’s a little offended by the accusation, and it must have shown on his face because Ash quickly backtracks.</p><p>“Yeah. I figured,” he says, chuckling nervously. “I’m sorry. Again.”</p><p>Eiji sighs. He doesn’t know how to handle situations like this. He’s never had anyone apologize to him before, and really, his mistake earlier has already left his mind because of what has just transpired in his bedroom. It isn’t even Ash’s fault; there wouldn’t have been any problem if Eiji only maintained his focus.</p><p>He studies Ash with his hand resting on the tree trunk and breaths coming out in puffs. It can’t have been easy, climbing over the gate and tree and having to wait out here in the dark. Ash did all that just to apologize for something that isn’t even his fault, and Eiji can’t even begin to wrap his mind around it.</p><p>Eiji wonders if this kind of behavior is normal. Perhaps people in the outside does this all the time. Eiji doesn’t know, and maybe he’ll never know, but Ash doesn’t seem like he’s here to harm him.</p><p>“You look like Cinderella, by the way.” Ash looks bashful when he says it, but nonetheless he gives Eiji an awkward smile. He gestures at his clothing. “It looks beautiful.”</p><p>The statement tugs at Eiji’s heart a little. Ash doesn’t say that he looks stupid, or that he’s a weirdo for wearing a dress, just <em>you look like Cinderella</em> in the most genuine tone.</p><p>Perhaps he’s wrong for doubting him.</p><p>“Thank you,” Eiji says softly. He takes a deep breath. “I forgive you.”</p><p>Ash raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?”</p><p>Eiji nods.</p><p>“Cool,” says Ash, relieved. “Thanks.”</p><p>“I wish I can give you candy.” Eiji frowns, debating whether or not he ought to sneak downstairs and steal some tarts from the kitchen. “But we don’t have some.”</p><p>For some reason this makes Ash laugh. “Bummer.”</p><p>Music from the party going on downstairs mixes with the sound of cicadas, but they’re all muffled in Eiji’s ear, almost as if he’s hearing them from underwater. A gust of wind brushes his hair sideways, so he tucks a few loose strands that has escaped behind his ear, and all the while Ash is staring at him.</p><p><em>His eyes are so green</em>, Eiji thinks absently, <em>like those jade rings Yut Lung sometimes wore. </em></p><p>“Hey,” Ash says suddenly. He winces. “So are you finally going to let me in? I don’t think I can feel my legs anymore.”</p><p>Eiji casts a nervous glance at the door. He’s sure he heard his dad turn the key when he left, which tells Eiji that he has no plans to come back. Locked doors meant bed time. Still, just to be sure, he checks by pulling on the doorknob, and when it doesn’t budge Eiji deems everything to be safe.</p><p>“Okay,” Eiji finally answers. “You can only stay for a while, though.”</p><p>His heart is thumping so hard he’s sure it’s about to escape from his chest. Is he allowed to do this?</p><p>“That’s fine,” Ash says as he drops on the floor of Eiji’s bedroom. He surveys the surroundings and exclaims, “Is that a gramophone?”</p><p>Eiji watches as Ash hovers around the old music player sitting on his desk, promising to himself that this is just a one-time thing.</p><hr/><p>“And here we have Jean Grey,” Ash says proudly as he points at her character on the page, fiery red hair flowing. “She has telekinesis. She just looks at something and boom—they move according to her will.” He bumps his shoulder with Eiji’s. “Cool, huh?”</p><p>They’re sitting on Eiji’s bed, Ash with one of his legs tucked under him and the other swinging over the edge, Eiji with his posture straight and both feet reaching the floor. They’ve been going through the comic books Ash has brought with him for almost an hour, voices hushed so they won’t wake the other occupants of the house.</p><p>“Really cool,” Eiji agrees. “Who’s this one?”</p><p>“That’s Cyclops,” Ash replies, looking over his shoulder. “He has laser vision.”</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>“They’re like powerful beams of light that come out of his eyes,” he explains, widening his own and swiveling his head from side to side in an imitation of said mutant.</p><p>Eiji’s face twists into a grimace. “That sounds painful.”</p><p>“He has this visor to help him control his power, so it’s all good,” Ash assures him. He flips to the next page and points at Cyclops’s costume. “See?”</p><p>Eiji jumps when they hear a small noise, the comic book slipping out of his grasp and falling to the floor. Ash watches as he walks over to the door and presses his ear to it, waiting for any signs of activity on the other side. A few tense seconds pass before he finally sighs and goes back to bed.</p><p>“It’s probably just mice,” Ash says comfortingly.</p><p>“You think our house has mice?” Eiji asks.</p><p>Ash shrugs. “I mean, ours has some and it’s fairly new. What more with an old mansion like this, right?”</p><p>“Right,” Eiji mutters half-heartedly.</p><p>He takes the X-Men from Ash and goes back to where he left off. Ash gazes at him—the worried crease between his eyebrows, the way his hands are clenched ever so slightly around the pages—and decides that Eiji is done with reading.</p><p>“Hey,” Ash says, shifting his position so he’s now face-to-face with Eiji. He plucks the comic book from his grasp. “Give me your hand.”</p><p>“What?” asks Eiji, confused, but he does what Ash says anyway.</p><p>Ash turns Eiji’s hand in his so his palm is face up.</p><p>“I know palmistry,” Ash whispers. He traces a line across Eiji’s skin and gasps. “See this one here? This means you’ll have a dog in the future.”</p><p>“You’re just making that up,” Eiji retorts. He scrunches his nose. “What kind of dog is it?”</p><p>“Labrador. Now sush.” Ash holds a finger up. “I have to concentrate.”</p><p>“You're acting funny,” Eiji says.</p><p>He takes a deep breath and squints. “Look—this says Yut Lung will stop being an ass on the next full moon.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“A hundred percent.”</p><p>Eiji laughs and pulls his hand away. “Stop it.”</p><p>Ash tilts his head, smiling. He doesn’t know jack shit about palmistry, but it seems to do the trick because Eiji falls back on the bed and visibly relaxes. Within a week of spending time together, Ash has learned two things about Eiji: the first being that he knows nothing about pop culture, and second that he’s afraid his father is going to bust in any minute and send Ash away. It’s weird, really—Eiji’s door is locked from the outside and his father has the only key.</p><p>Eiji must have felt his eyes on him, because he rolls his head to the side to look at Ash and says, “What is it?”</p><p>“Why aren’t you allowed to go outside?” he blurts out. It’s something he’s been itching to ask ever since he caught a glimpse of him through the living room window seven months ago.</p><p>Eiji stares at the ceiling for a few seconds before he answers. “I’m sick, that’s why.”</p><p>“Sick?” Ash says, voice cracking. He clears his throat. “Like—like with cancer?”</p><p>Eiji shakes his head, and he won’t have any idea how that small action has shut down Ash’s sudden fear.</p><p>“Oh. Good,” he says thoughtfully. Wanting to feel optimistic, he adds, “It couldn’t be that bad if you’re not in the hospital, though, is it?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” says Eiji. He sits up and pulls his knees to his chest. “Dad says I can go outside when I’m better, but I don’t know when that is.”</p><p>They lapse into silence after that. Ash observes Eiji’s bedroom for what seems like the hundredth time, from the wardrobe to the vanity and the small treasure chest holding his accessories, and ponders about the truth behind this unusual lifestyle. Surely, Eiji must at least feel like something’s wrong? Ash may be nothing but a nosy thirteen-year-old, but he’s come to realize from many weekends spent spying on Mr. Okumura and East Cottage that there is something royally messed up about them. He isn’t sure what it is yet, but he’ll find out, just they wait.</p><p>He wants to tell Eiji that he should confront his dad about it—learn to stand up for himself and all that crap—but Eiji has some sort of devotion to his father that Ash <em>just can’t understand</em>.</p><p>So for now he just says, “Have I ever told you about that time I reached the highest peak on the playground swing?”</p><p>Eiji responds with a no in that usual shy tone of his, so Ash delves into one of his favorite childhood memories, not minding the fact that the clock currently reads half past nine. Griff will hand his ass over to him if he ever finds out that he went home late on a school night, but Ash doesn't mind.</p><p>It will have been worth it.</p><hr/><p>Despite what Eiji told himself, it happens again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>And again until Eiji begins to expect the tapping on his window right after Yut Lung has administered his nightly pills and he’s pretended to sleep.</p><p>“Hello,” Ash will always greet when Eiji helps him up. He’ll settle on Eiji’s bed like it’s the most natural thing in the world, then open his backpack to reveal what surprise he’s brought for him that day. “Check it out.”</p><p>So far he’s shown Eiji some of his comic books, photos of him winning several academic contests at school, and also his prized figures from something called <em>Star Wars</em> which Ash swears is the best thing to ever exist (aside from books, avocados, and The Beatles—the latter being something Eiji isn’t all that familiar with.)</p><p>“I’ve always wanted to dress up as Han Solo for Halloween,” Ash said to him after he’d finished giving Eiji a summary of the very first Star Wars film. “Maybe next year you can go with us. We can dress up as the whole squad. You know—Shorter can be Luke and Sing can be R2-D2 or something. He’s too short to be Chewbacca.”</p><p>“Who am I gonna be?” Eiji asked, trying to imagine himself walking down the streets with the other kids.</p><p>“Um. Dunno. I mean, you can be Princess Leia.” The tips of Ash’s ears were a little red as he glanced at Eiji. “But only if you want to.”</p><p>“Is it because I look like a girl?” he thought aloud.</p><p>“What? No. No, that’s not it. I mean, kind of?” Ash stammered. “But, like, you can be whoever you want. I just thought that Princess Leia suits you, that’s all.”</p><p>“She sounds cool,” Eiji mused, remembering everything that Ash had told him about her. “Princesses are cool, I think.”</p><p>He grew up falling asleep to fairy tales his dad would read to him, and every time he’d hear about the princesses plight he imagines himself in their place. He used to think that having someone to whisk him away would be fantastic, but he realized later on that he didn’t need a hero—Eiji already had had his father, which was more than enough.</p><p>“Definitely,” Ash agreed, enthusiastic. He pretended to shoot a blaster. “She’s goes like this, you know. <em>Phew-phew-phew!</em>” He reached out and carefully lifted a handful of Eiji’s hair. “And you’ll have space buns. It’ll look awesome. We can ask Nadia to style it for you.”</p><p>Eiji touched the pendant resting on his chest and said, “That sounds great, Ash.”</p><p>It does, it really does. It sounds great, all of it—the costumes and the candies and the thought of being normal.</p><p>“I don’t know if I can, though,” Eiji admitted, forlorn.</p><p>“Sure you can,” Ash had said with conviction. He pointed at the grandfather clock. “When it strikes 11:11, make a wish. Say, 'I wish my sickness will go away', and then it’ll come true.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Really. Then you’ll have to look for the perfect Princess Leia dress.”</p><p>Eiji thinks about what Ash told him as he wraps his hands around the warm cup of tea. Winter is slowly hitting its stride. The windows are starting to fog up from the cold and his father has forbidden him from taking his morning stroll in the gardens.</p><p>Yut Lung sits across from him, busy organizing the phone numbers of every one of his father’s acquaintances in a leather-bound notebook, the scratch of the pen against paper almost in harmony with the faint tick-tock of the living room clock.</p><p>“Do you know that your wishes will come true if you say it at exactly 11:11?”</p><p>Yut Lung looks up at him, surprised. It’s obvious that he’s completely forgotten that Eiji’s even there. He doesn’t answer right away, opting instead to refill their cups. Eiji watches him like a hawk. </p><p>“You’re too old to believe in those kinds of things,” Yut Lung tells him. “Wishes won’t come true just because you said them at a specific time.”</p><p>“Then how does it work then?” Eiji challenges him, a little miffed that Yut Lung would dismiss what Ash had told him just like that.</p><p>“Wishes will only come true if you work hard for it,” says Yut Lung. “If you want something to happen, then do something. Simple as that.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Eiji replies, contemplative. “Then should I go to the hospital to see if I can get cured?”</p><p>This catches Yut Lung off-guard. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“You all say I’m sick. I want to know if they can heal me so I can go to the Christmas Fair this year.”</p><p>Yut Lung taps the pen on the table and states, “No. No hospitals.”</p><p>“But why?” Eiji is so frustrated. He remembers his conversation with Ash last night and the panic expression that flicked across his face when he’d ask how sick he was. A sudden thought occurred to him. “What if I’m dying?”</p><p>“It’s not—” says Yut Lung, sighing. He meets his gaze. “You’re not dying. Just keep taking your medication and you’ll be fine, I promise.”</p><p>He goes back to his task without another word, letting Eiji know that it’s the end of their discussion. Tears prick at the corners of Eiji’s eyes. He’s so tired of not knowing anything. It’s his body, his health, so surely he has the right to know what’s going on with him?</p><p>“Dad—” he starts to say, but Yut Lung interrupts him.</p><p>“Your father will tell you the exact same thing,” he says. He snaps the notebook close. “You trust him, don’t you?”</p><p>“Of course,” he replies quickly. What kind of question is that? Yut Lung should know that Eiji trusts and loves no one more than his dad.</p><p>“Then there you have it. He knows what’s best for you, and that’s to stay here and be safe,” Yut Lung elaborates. He gathers their things. “Speaking of, it’s time for your medicine.”</p><p>He wants to say that he’s just taken them not even an hour ago, but just like always his lips fail him. Eiji takes the pills with some sort of quiet resignation while Yut Lung gazes at him strangely. The caregiver shakes his head.</p><p>“Eiji,” he says carefully. “Where’d you get those ideas? The wishes and the hospital and everything else?”</p><p>He shrugs, body feeling heavy as the medication sets in.</p><p>“Nowhere,” he replies, because there’s no way he’ll tell Yut Lung about Ash. If he does then he’ll tell his father, and Eiji just know that if that happens he’ll never get to see Ash again. Eiji doesn’t want that; he’s only known him for a short period of time, but it already feels like forever.</p><p>He adds, “It’s just something I’ve been thinking about lately, that’s all.”</p><p>A lie. The very first one Eiji’s ever said in his life, and somehow he doesn’t feel that bad about it.</p><p>Yut Lung hums. “I see.”</p><p>He suggests that Eiji take a nap, and he nods absently as he trudges up the stairs, eyelids drooping. This medicine seems stronger than the others, so Eiji tells himself that he should probably skip them later that night so he won’t fall asleep right away.</p><p>He gulps as the thought crosses his mind. Will his father know if he does? It will be the first time that Eiji ever skips his medication and the prospect fills him with an anxious thrill. This is wrong—hiding secrets from Yut Lung, throwing away his pills, letting Ash sneak into his bedroom window every night.</p><p>But then Eiji thinks about admitting everything and going back to his life before, and his chest hurts. He’s already in trouble the second he’s asked Ash’s name, so what’s one lie more?</p><hr/><p>“Hey, Ash. Shorter and I’ll go over to Cain’s house tonight,” Sing informs him. “Heard he got a new atari. Wanna come?”</p><p>“Can’t,” he says casually as he pretends to look through his science textbook. “We’ve got a test for Kalinski, so I’m probably gonna study for that.”</p><p>Sing looks disgusted. “That’s not until Monday.”</p><p>“Do we have the same teacher? His tests are impossible,” he reasons. He runs a hand through his hair. “I’m going to try and ace this one so I can rub it on his face.”</p><p>“Uh-huh. Sure.” Sing crosses his arms. “Stop the bullshit, Ash. We both know you’ll get an A even without the extra reading. What are you really up to tonight?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Ash replies, spinning his chair around. “I told you—I’m studying.” When Sing showed no signs of budging, he says, “You should, too. What did you get the last time, again? C minus?”</p><p><em>Ha. Gotcha</em>.</p><p>“Asshole. Not everyone’s a nerd like you,” Sing spits out. He stomps away. “Fine. Spend your weekend reading that boring shit. Meanwhile, we’ll be there at Cain’s eating pizza and having fun.”</p><p>“Say hi to Shorter and Cain for me!” he shouts before Sing slams the door close.</p><p>Ash waits for another fifteen minutes before he sets aside his books. Carefully, so Griffin wouldn’t hear what he’s doing, he tips the plastic box containing all of his old toys to the floor. He picks out a few of his favorites from the pile—mostly Star Wars figures—along with the stuffed bear that he’s almost forgotten about and shoves them inside his bag.</p><p>He knows his friends will be bummed out when he doesn’t show up, but hey, he’s been playing and hanging out with them ever since they were toddlers, so one missed game night is hardly a big deal. He ponders with the idea of telling Sing and Shorter about Eiji, but when he thinks about sharing all the attention with them his stomach flips. He’ll tell them one day, when Eiji is not as socially inept as he is now and he’s sure they won’t make fun of him. Right, that’ll be the perfect time. Whether that’s two days from now or years later, he doesn’t know.</p><p>He tiptoes down the stairs and goes out the back door so he can avoid coming across Griff and Beth at the living room (because God knows what he’ll see there. He doesn’t want to get scarred for life, thank you very much.) Quickly, after making sure that his friends aren’t hiding behind the bushes to scare him because they’re those kinds of idiots, he jumps on his bike.</p><p>It’s scary how fast this has become routine.</p><p>When Ash is safely pedaling down the streets and under the stars, he feels free. He lets out a whoop as he goes faster, some passersby shooting him weird looks, but he doesn’t care. He’s on a secret adventure.</p><p>“Hello,” he says, a little out of breath as he takes Eiji’s outstretched hand and goes over the ledge.</p><p>So maybe he was a little too eager coming here, but so what? It’s Friday, he’s free to have fun. That’s what Fridays are all about in Ash’s book.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Eiji asks as Ash makes a beeline to his desk, where he unceremoniously dumps his backpack.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he says, beckoning for Eiji to come closer. “Come here, I have something for you.”</p><p>A look of confusion crosses Eiji’s features before it lights up with a smile.</p><p>“Really?” he says, standing next to him. “What is it?”</p><p>“Here,” says Ash, shaking the stuffed bear in front of Eiji’s face. Eiji takes it from him in awe, cradling the toy to his chest as if it’s something fragile. “My aunt gave it to me when I was young. Never played with it, so I thought you might as well have it.”</p><p>Eiji pokes its nose. “What’s it’s name?”</p><p>“Nothing,” says Ash. “It’s nameless. Has no identity whatsoever.”</p><p>"Oh," says Eiji, unsure.</p><p>Ash looks at him in mock seriousness. “You have to help it. Give it a name, Eiji, or it’ll forever wander the earth looking for one.”</p><p>He waits for Eiji to laugh, but instead he stares at the toy intensely as if it’s fate is something he’s very worried about. Ash tries not to smile. It’s kinda adorable, really, the way he’s so sincere about everything.</p><p>“Blue,” says Eiji decisively.</p><p>“It’s brown,” Ash tells him, although he’s certain Eiji knows the colors.</p><p>Eiji shakes his head. “I’m naming him Blue.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because it’s the color of the sky and I think the sky is beautiful.”</p><p>Well, Ash can’t argue with that.</p><p>“Alright,” says Ash. He pats the toy on both shoulders. “Now I dub thee Blue Okumura.”</p><p>Eiji snorts. “It sounds ridiculous when you say it like that.”</p><p>“Hey, you’re the one who gave it to him,” Ash retorts, making Eiji pout. “I think it’s neat, really. Blue—pretty and simple.”</p><p>Eiji lowers his eyes and smiles. Ash watches as he hugs the toy close, the sleeves of his nightshirt almost reaching his fingertips, dark hair a stark contrast to his pale skin, and he wonders if it’s okay to stare at a boy this way and think he’s beautiful.</p><p>“Thank you, Ash,” Eiji whispers, brown eyes soft. “I’ll take good care of it.”</p><p>He backs away from Eiji a little. “Yeah. Sure. No problem.”</p><p>Maybe he should have just went with Sing. He can be with them at Cain’s right now, playing atari and stuffing himself with junk food, but instead he’s here giving Eiji one of his childhood toys like it’s nothing. If his friends ever finds out then he'd never hear the end of it; Sing and Shorter literally has to wrestle him before he lends them his comic books.</p><p>“What else did you bring?” Eiji inquires.</p><p>His eyes are alive with curiosity, and like always Ash feels compelled to teach him everything.</p><p>He starts to pull out each Star Wars figure and lines them on the carpet before launching into another tirade about the adventures of the Millennium Falcon and the rebel force, all previous awkwardness gone.</p><hr/><p>“What’s your dream?”</p><p>Ash looks up from where he’s laid out on the floor reading. He looks funny like that, arms stretched out and the book open above him like a roof. That test sounds really important, so Eiji tries really hard not to bother him, but he can’t handle the silence anymore. If Ash really needs to study he would have done it in his house, but here he is.</p><p>Eiji repeats his question: “What’s your dream?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Ash replies. He sits up with a grunt. “I haven’t really thought about it.”</p><p>Eiji nods as he wraps a bow around Blue’s neck. He supposes people like Ash, who has freedom and has their entire life laid out before him, doesn’t have anything to want—at least not in a way that causes their heart to ache and makes time feel so agonizingly slow.</p><p>“How about you?” Ash asks, plopping down on the bed and making the mattress bounce. His book is abandoned on the floor. “What’s your dream?”</p><p>“To go to the Christmas Fair,” he says right away. “Are you done reading?”</p><p>“I am. I think my head’s going to explode from all the memorizing.” He rubs his temples for emphasis. “Anyway, the Christmas Fair. Do you mean the one at the town square where people sell tons of shit every year?”</p><p>“Exactly.”</p><p>“That’s it?” Ash asks, though not unkindly. “That’s your dream?”</p><p>Eiji tilts his head to the side. “Yes. I want to see all the decorations and people, specially the tree. I heard it’s wonderful.”</p><p>“It’s looks pretty normal to me,” says Ash, wrinkling his nose. “But it’s over 20 feet and there’s a huge star on top of it, so I guess it’s kind of special.”</p><p>“Does it shine really bright? The star?”</p><p>“It shines just fine. You can barely see it from the ground, actually.”</p><p>Ash makes it sound underwhelming, but it doesn’t tamper Eiji’s anticipation. There are lots of things he can see there aside from the star.</p><p>“I’d say the best part of the fair is the stalls,” Ash tells him. “Griffin and I used to visit each one of them while we drink hot chocolate.”</p><p>“That sounds fun,” Eiji says longingly. “I wish I can do that.”</p><p>He places Blue on his lap and watches as Ash stares hard at the ceiling like he’s planning to drill holes in it. A few minutes pass wherein Ash refuses to move, so Eiji nudges him gently with his foot to break him out of whatever trance he’s in.</p><p>“It’s only a few weeks away,” Ash says slowly. “What if…”</p><p>“What if what?” Eiji asks, although at the back of his mind he already has an idea about where this is going.</p><p>Ash turns to him with a grin. “What do you say about going to the fair together?”</p><p>Eiji fiddles with Blue’s ears. “I don’t know. My dad won’t allow it, I’m sure.”</p><p>“Then we don’t tell him,” Ash says. He's filled with so much confidence that it almost overshadows Eiji’s nervousness. Almost. “We sneak out here at night, we ride my bike, maybe stay at the fair for an hour or two, then we come back. It’ll be so quick that he won’t even know you were gone.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Eiji says again, but his resolve is quickly slipping.</p><p>He really wants to go. Here’s Ash, offering him the chance to see something he’s always dreamt of, and Eiji wants to take it. His father has promised to let him go outside one day, but years has passed and one day still hasn’t come. He’s been feeling well for the last few months, so there’s nothing bad that can possibly happen, right? It’s just one night. Let Eiji have just one night.</p><p>“You’re sure he won’t find out?” he asks, because he won’t be able to contain his anxiety if Ash doesn’t give him a firm answer now.</p><p>“We just have to plan it right,” says Ash. “He won’t ever know about it. Promise.”</p><p>Eiji bites his lip.</p><p>Ash takes Blue and lifts him up so the two of them are looking right at him—green and black. “Don’t you have faith in us, Eiji?”</p><p>He has. He has so much faith in Ash that it almost scares him.</p><p>“Of course I do,” he replies, snatching the toy back. Ash beams at him.</p><p>“Then just leave it to me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If Ash had lived a normal childhood he'd be a total geek and you can't change my mind.</p><p>Follow me on social media!</p><p>Twitter: @Marina_North1</p><p>Tumblr: marinanorth1</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Episode 4: Secrets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Christmas Fair is only a week away and Ash has a little problem. He has spent the past few days frantically searching through all the nooks and crannies of their house, smiling triumphantly every time he finds a single cent or crumpled up bill. So far he’s been able to collect a total of five dollars and twenty cents, and he keeps it in a mason jar on his desk that he stares at almost every night before falling asleep.</p><p>He’s still short of his fifteen dollar goal, but it’s a start. Next week maybe he can dig up something at the fence separating them from the Robinsons, because he’s sure he’s seen the old lady there drop a dollar or two on the grass, and if all else fails, he can always weed out some money from Griffin. He’ll just have to bust out the puppy eyes. He never wants to use that tactic, but desperate times calls for desperate measures.</p><p>Three nights ago he’d made a promise to buy Eiji anything he wants, because he’s stupid and was oblivious to the fact that all he had was three pennies under his pillow.</p><p>“Hot chocolate and candy canes and game prizes,” Ash had said, counting each item off his fingers. “You can get whatever you like.”</p><p>Eiji’s eyes widened at the offer. “Are you sure, Ash? That’s a lot.”</p><p>“It’s fine. It’s your dream, right?” he said confidently, and Eiji nodded. “Then you’ll have to make the most out of it. I’ll take care of everything, so don’t worry about it, okay?”</p><p>“If you say so,” Eiji replied warmly. “Thank you, Ash.”</p><p>He had smiled at him then, and not for the first time Ash wondered whether boys ought to be that pretty or whether he should even have thoughts like <em>Eiji’s hair is really soft and I hope to God this isn't the first time we go outside.</em></p><p>That’s another problem, really. The way his mind always seems to be focused on Eiji. He’ll be in the middle of a debate with Griffin over what to have for dinner and his thoughts will wander to the time Eiji talked about how much he loved lemon tarts. Then everything will just go spiraling from there. The lemon tarts turn to him thinking of the recipe and then to a mental image of himself mixing ingredients together then to the chances of Griffin kicking him out of the house if he ever burns the kitchen down in his attempts to make the damn tarts—</p><p>Point is, he’s been thinking about Eiji. A lot. And he’s not sure if it’s acceptable to do so.</p><p>Ugh. Being thirteen is hard. Everything’s changing; his limbs feel all gangly and he’s eating a lot and his feelings are all jumbled up. It’s infuriating as it is confusing. However, amidst all of this turmoil, he is certain of one thing: he wants to make Eiji happy. Even if he has to scrape together some money just to buy some tacky souvenir from the fair and a cup of overpriced hot chocolate.</p><p>When Sing and Shorter had asked him about the jar, Ash told them something about wanting to buy a new bike, something that they all knew was bullshit because Ash’s was still in peak condition. Nevertheless they accepted his answer without further questions, and that alone should have made Ash suspicious. Looking back, he was filled with so much relief that he forgot what made Sing and Shorter so annoying: when it comes to Ash’s life, they’re nosier than a bunch of ladies at Sunday brunch.</p><p>So here he is now, cornered at the school yard by his two best friends. Ash feels so betrayed; he’s just minding his own business, reading under the shade of a tree, when Shorter suddenly snatched his book away like a freakin’ bully. Ash has half a mind to sock him in the face for being careless with it—the corner of the page has been folded under his touch and they all know how protective Ash is of his books.</p><p>“Give it back,” Ash hisses.</p><p>When Ash makes a grab for it, Shorter tosses it to Sing, and the game went on for a few more minutes—Ash going back and forth between the two of them like an idiot—before he finally breaks.</p><p>“What do you want?” Ash demands.</p><p>Sing foregoes any pretense. “What are you saving up for?”</p><p>“I told you already: it’s for a new bike,” he replies quickly. “Now give me back my book.”</p><p>“Seriously, Ash,” Shorter says, placing a hand to his heart. “Why do you think you can lie to us?”</p><p>“I’m not lying,” he says, hating the way his voice goes on a higher pitch at the end. That’s his tell, dammit.</p><p>Shorter levels him with an unimpressed stare. “Ash, we’ve been friends since we’re, like, four. I know you—yeah, I do, shut up—so spill it.”</p><p>“Yeah, Ash,” says Sing. He takes mercy on him and hands the book back. Ash glares at him as he accepts it. “Come on. Whatever it is, we promise not to tell Griff.”</p><p>“Unless it’s something that can land you in jail. Because if it is, I’m sworn to tell Charlie about it,” says Shorter, wrinkling his nose. Right. His sister’s boyfriend is a cop. “Are you selling test answers? If you are, I’m honestly offended that you’re not letting me in on your business.”</p><p>“I’m not selling anything, you dumbass. Now back off.” Ash inspects the book’s cover and tsks at the dents. “And all Charlie has to worry about is you.”</p><p>He has to admit that Shorter’s idea is great, though. Why hasn’t he thought of that? If he’d sold his answers, he’d probably have fifty dollars by now.</p><p>Forget about the Christmas Fair—he’d be able to treat Eiji to that one ice cream parlor or let him browse through the record shop with that kind of money, let him experience everything in his one night of freedom. It will have been oh-so-great. But hell week is over, which means no more difficult tests, and Ash wants to slap himself for squandering the opportunity.</p><p>Sing whispers, "Are you going to buy adult magazines?" </p><p>“What? No! Why would you think that?” says Ash, taking a step back.</p><p>Sing shrugs. “Dunno. It just seems right.”</p><p>“What—gods, Sing.” Ash closes his eyes, exasperated. “You’re hopeless.”</p><p>“You’ve been acting weird lately, so it’s a good guess,” says Shorter, putting an arm around his shoulder. Ash wants to push him off because he’s still pissed by how he mistreated his book, but Shorter’s way taller and stronger, so all he does is let out a huff that makes Shorter laugh. “Look, we’re sorry. But we’re just worried about you, you know. And we’re sure your stubborn ass won’t tell us anything unless we force you to.”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Ash mutters. He takes a deep breath and decides to be mature about the whole thing. If he does that maybe Sing and Shorter will get off his back. “I’m sorry, too.”</p><p>They look shocked at his apology.</p><p>“Hey, I know I haven’t been available lately—” says Ash, but those two just won’t shut up.</p><p>“You’ve been absent in the arcade for three weekends straight,” says Sing, raising his eyebrows.</p><p>“You turned down my offer to camp out in our backyard twice,” adds Shorter.</p><p>“We don’t see you planning a campaign or schedule a D &amp; D game.”</p><p>“You don’t let us in your room anymore.”</p><p>“You’ve been ‘going to bed’ at 7 pm.”</p><p>“That’s weird.”</p><p>“<em>Super weird.</em>”</p><p>“Okay, stop!” Ash says, putting his hands up. So much for being mature. “Jesus. What are you, detectives?”</p><p>Shorter grins proudly. “Pretty impressive, huh?”</p><p>“Not really.”</p><p>“Anyway, where were we?”</p><p>“Ash was about to spill his guts and ask forgiveness for being a bad friend,” Sing says helpfully.</p><p>“I’m not—” Ash begins to defend himself but stops.</p><p>He takes time to evaluate his actions and supposes that they’re right; he has been ignoring them a lot lately. But it isn’t like he wants to—Eiji’s just taking up most of his time, that’s all.</p><p>“I’m not doing it on purpose. Honest. I’m not hiding anything from you, either. It’s just…” Ash makes a quick comb through his vocabulary and settles for one word: “… <em>complicated</em>.”</p><p>Shorter gasps. “He used the c-word.”</p><p>“This is serious,” says Sing, nodding.</p><p>His friends sure are dramatic.</p><p>He surveys the surroundings. A lot of students are milling about, some playing ball or rolling their skateboards down the walkway. Others are busy eating their packed lunch under the shade of trees. It’s only a matter of time before the bell rings and calls them back to class, and honestly fifteen minutes won’t be enough for Ash to explain everything to them.</p><p>He sighs. Weighs the pros and cons before finally making a decision.</p><p>“Meet me at the bleachers after school,” Ash tells them.</p><p>Shorter and Sing must have sensed that whatever his secret is, it goes beyond selling test answers or interest in R-rated magazines (which he has none), because they readily nod.</p><p>“Okay,” Shorter relents. Ash smiles hesitantly. “You have to let me peek at your paper later, though. I have to get a B or Nadia’s gonna kill me.”</p><p>Ash shakes his head fondly.</p>
<hr/><p>There’s a sock that contains several pills and a teddy bear shoved at the very back of Eiji’s wardrobe, hidden beneath the folds of several blankets, right at the very bottom corner where the lights don’t reach.</p><p>Those objects are both a blessing and a curse.</p><p>Eiji lives in a perpetual state of anxiety. These days, everything seems to be going smoothly, so he can’t help but wonder when the ball will drop. He thinks about the day his father and Yut Lung will see the stash of pills he’s refused to take and Ash’s gift; wonders about the consequences he’ll have to face for his actions. It makes his heart race.</p><p>It isn’t like he’s been skipping on all of his medications—just the ones at night, when they leave it at his bedside table and there’s no one watching him. It has started out as an experiment on his part, but Eiji eventually notices the changes it’s done to his mind and body; he’s been more alert and happy at the hours when he doesn’t take them, and so he keeps the charade going.</p><p>It’s wonderful, being able to stay up and think clearly as Ash talks about whatever topic comes to mind. Ash is smart. He knows a lot of things about NASA and The Hobbit and how apple juice tastes so much better than lemonade, all of the worldly knowledge he says is important for Eiji to learn. He absorbs everything he’s taught like a sponge, and when everything’s done Eiji always finds himself craving for more. He wants to know about all the holidays people celebrate and why there are people called bullies who are mean to him and his friends.</p><p>He can’t imagine anyone being mean to Ash. He’s awesome. Eiji thinks everyone should like him. But he supposes his father is right: people are liars and thieves, and he thinks that if they’re able to hurt nice boys like Ash then they might just be plain evil.</p><p>That thought almost made him back out of their plans for the week, but Ash has insisted that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Eiji believes him. The world may be dangerous, but Ash is an exception, the proof that there’s a lot to be optimistic about in the life outside of this house.</p><p>So he keeps the pills and the teddy bear away. He doesn’t tell anyone about Ash. He still looks forward to the Christmas Fair</p><p>But the foreboding feeling doesn’t go away.</p><p>Time is a strange thing; it seems to slow down in all the times Eiji is alone and fretting, but goes by in a rush when he’s talking with Ash. He feels the movement of the clock’s hand in sync with his heartbeat, like it’s counting down to something, but for what, Eiji has no idea. Sometimes he feels like he’s about to lose his mind with all the bouncing between excitement and nervousness.</p><p>He hums fleur-de-lis under his breath as he explores the mansion’s hallways. Today is one of those rare days where Eiji is left to his own devices. The freezing weather hasn’t been kind to most of the flowers they grew, so Yut Lung has been tending the garden, trying to salvage whatever he can. Sir Blanca called yesterday and canceled lessons because he thinks it isn’t advisable to drive through the snow laden streets.</p><p>East Cottage is so much better than their previous home in California. Back then, Eiji’s bedroom is so much smaller and his window had iron grills, so it was impossible to lean over and actually enjoy the morning sun. Their new home has a different atmosphere: the high ceilings gives an illusion of a vast sky, and the garden is a sea of colors during spring. Eiji loves it.</p><p>“I know. Alice already told me about it.”</p><p>His father’s voice drifts through the small crack of the office doors. Eiji stops in his tracks.</p><p>“I’m sure he’ll be able to handle it. We’ve done all the necessary preparations, so there’s nothing for you to be worried about.”</p><p>Who’s he talking to? His father sometimes made phone calls to his associates, but most of the time it’s him complaining about their scheduled meetings and errors he found in some intern’s work. He doesn’t use this kind of tone—all soft and doting like he’s seeking the other’s approval.</p><p>“I miss you, too. Terribly.”</p><p>Eiji inches closer, hand on the wall as he strains to hear the next part of the conversation.</p><p>“He’s just perfect. I’m certain you’ll like him,” his father brags, and Eiji’s gut says that they’re talking about him. “He’ll be happy, you’ll see.”</p><p>He thinks hard about what his father must be referring to—finally being healed from whatever sickness he has, getting freedom to go out, those are the things that will make him happy—but stops short when he hears his next words.</p><p>“We’ll see each other again." Eiji hears him chuckle. "Your mother guarantees it and, well, you know her.”</p><p>Eiji’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. So whoever this person is, he’ll be able to meet them soon, right? They must be really nice because his dad seems excited to see them.</p><p>“I love you.”</p><p>Eiji’s so startled by the statement that he lets out a squeak. His hand flies to his mouth right away, cutting off the sound, but it’s too late. He’s been busted.</p><p>“Eiji?” his dad calls out. “Is that you?”</p><p>He takes a deep breath and enters the office. “Hello, dad.”</p><p>His father stands at the opposite side of the room, in front of the series of family portraits he’s hung on the walls… and very far from the telephone in his desk. Eiji gulps. This doesn’t make sense. How’s he making a phone call from that distance? The wire isn’t long enough to accommodate the length of the room, and even if it did, he can’t have hung up and returned the phone on its spot in the split second that Eiji has opened the door.</p><p>“Oh. Hello, little bird,” he says, smiling in a way that makes the corner of his eyes crinkle. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Just—” says Eiji shakily. He tries not to glance at the telephone. “I just wanted to know if you’d like to have tea with me? Yut Lung’s busy and I don’t have anyone to talk to.”</p><p>His father laughs softly. “Of course.”</p><p>They make their way to the kitchen in silence. Eiji fidgets with the hem of his night shirt, waiting for his father to say something. What is he expecting? A confession that he’s in love with someone else, that he’s ready to replace his mother? He doesn’t understand; he’s been so hung up on Elise just a month ago.</p><p>He looks at his father from the corner of his eyes. He has a serene smile on his face and it almost looks like he’s about to start skipping. Eiji’s curiosity is piqued. Whoever his father is talking to earlier obviously has a significant hold on him.</p><p>“Am I getting a new mom?” Eiji blurts out. He can’t take it anymore. He wants the oppressive feeling is his chest to lessen.</p><p>He expects to be reprimanded for his bluntness, but his father only beams at him, clearly amused. He doesn’t seem all that worried that Eiji overheard his conversation.</p><p>“Something like that,” he says, head still in the clouds.</p><p>Eiji scoffs. “When?”</p><p>“Not for another three years,” he replies. He looks at Eiji, but his gaze seems unfocused. “We’re making sure you’re ready.”</p><p>“For what?” he says. His father’s answers aren’t really helping—if anything, it makes him wary. “Is it a wedding? Are you getting married again?”</p><p>His dad seems offended by the notion. “You know I will never do that to you, Elise.”</p><p>Eiji’s breath hitch.</p><p>He reaches out and twirls a lock of Eiji’s hair around his finger. Eiji stills. His father opens his mouth to say something, but then he pauses, seemingly seeing through whatever haze is clouding his mind. His hand drops.</p><p>“You know I will never do that <em>to Elise</em>,” he corrects.</p><p>Eiji adores his father, has trusted no one in the entire world but him, but at this moment all Eiji wants to do is run back to his room and hide away from him. Maybe he’ll lock himself in there until Ash shows up. Still, Eiji knows he’s suppose to take all this in stride, so instead of backing away he brushes it off and helps his father prepare tea.</p><p>Night can’t come quickly enough.</p>
<hr/><p>Ash tries not to squirm under his friends’ collective gaze, but it’s hard not to when they’re looking at him like he’s from another planet.</p><p>He’s just told them everything: sneaking through Eiji’s window every night, spending time with him, all the weird pills and dresses that he has, and their plan to go to the upcoming Christmas Fair. He goes into detail about how Eiji’s eyes are so much wider up close and how this one headband with flowers embroidered on it really suits him. Not that it’s relevant, because it’s not. Eiji looking pretty is not relevant at all. Or maybe it is?</p><p>Shorter and Sing’s faces say that no, it’s not.</p><p>Ash stops talking before he embarrasses himself any further. His mind’s really all over the place right now.</p><p>The three of them are sitting shoulder to shoulder at the bleachers, looking like a bundle of jackets and scarves. No one utters a word as the snow gently falls over them. A bird suddenly takes flight, its flapping wings a loud sound in the otherwise calm afternoon, and Ash almost has a heart attack.</p><p>His friends are still looking at him strangely. Ash shoves his mittened hands inside the pockets of his jacket and buries himself into the scarf, as if he can physically protect himself from their impending judgment.</p><p>This sucks. Ash tries to recall the last time they’ve been thrust into such an awkward scenario. Back in second grade, maybe, after he and Shorter had found Sing crying in the bathroom after Arthur and his gang did a swirly on him. He was new and he looked like he was just three feet tall, so he was an easy target. His shirt had been covered in snot and toilet water, but they let him eat at their lunch table and Ash has never seen Sing cry again.</p><p>Ash hopes it’s a good enough building block to a lasting friendship.</p><p>“So you’re going on a date…and you’re short on money?”</p><p>“What?” asks Ash, astounded. It was Shorter who had spoken. “I just told you all of this crazy stuff I did behind your back and—and that’s the thing you ask?”</p><p>Shorter makes a non-committal sound.</p><p>Ash processes his words again and his ears redden. “It’s not a date.”</p><p>“Sure sounds like one,” says Shorter, shrugging. “Also, you’re totally crushing on him.”</p><p>“I am not!” Ash says indignantly.</p><p>Shorter only gives him a deadpan stare. Mimicking Ash’s voice, he quotes, “<em>And you know how black those inks are at the Art Room? Yeah, Eiji’s hair is like that blah blah blah he probably looks better than Jodie Foster blah blah</em>.”</p><p>“I don’t talk like that, you ass,” Ash says. Gods he just wants to punch Shorter sometimes.</p><p>“I agree with him,” Sing pipes up. “You hauled all of your precious collection there without care, and you’re such a sucker when it comes to keeping your things in pristine condition. So the fact that you actually let him touch them—that’s, like, level eight on the Ash Love Scale.”</p><p>“There’s a scale?” Ash says before he realizes that it’s not the most important thing right now.</p><p>Sing gives a thumbs-up.</p><p>He peers at them. “Aren’t you mad?” <em>Or grossed out</em>, he wants to add.</p><p>“I’m annoyed more than anything, really,” Shorter admits, and Sing nods along. “You could have just told us from the start and not make up some bullshit excuse. It makes us feel like we’re stupid.” Shorter holds a finger up when Ash opens his mouth to retort. “You can trust us, you know.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Ash says quietly. “I really want to spend time with you guys, but I just can’t leave Eiji alone, you know?”</p><p>“It’s fine, we get it,” Sing replies. “If I’d have a chance to hang out with Carol Hawkins, I’d take it. No hesitations.”</p><p>“What the hell, Sing?” says Shorter, whipping his head around to face him. “You like Carol? As in one-tooth Carol?”</p><p>“She has a complete set of teeth now! The dentist let her get them for free, I think.”</p><p>“Oh God.”</p><p>Ash interrupts their bickering. “You don’t think I’m weird?”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because…you <em>know</em>.”</p><p>He doesn’t elaborate, just lets the implication hang in the air. For all his denial he can’t really hide the fact that he is, as Shorter so aptly put it, crushing on Eiji. Big time. Sing and Shorter exchange looks.</p><p>“What, because you’re going on a date with Wendy?” Sing says. When Ash gives him a sharp look, he puts his hands up. “Chill. I’m just messing with you. I know his name’s Eddy.”</p><p>“Look,” says Shorter, suddenly serious. He claps a hand on Ash’s shoulder like he’s about to import some very valuable knowledge. “It’s simple. Eiji’s cute with a mean dad and a whole lot of money, while you’re a total loser. That’s just how it is in the movies. This was meant to happen.”</p><p>“But…” Ash drawls. “He’s a boy.”</p><p>Sing says tentatively, “Yeah, sure. But...it doesn’t matter if he’s a boy—if you’re pretty, people just really tend to like you. It’s the law of the universe.”</p><p>“Yeah, dude. You don’t fight the universe,” Shorter seconded. “And, like, crushes are weird. It can’t really be explained. It just hits you like bam! Why else do you think Sing would like one-tooth Carol?”</p><p>Sing shoves him.</p><p>Ash blinks. That’s it? So they accept all of it just like that? He turns their words over in his mind, marveling at their logic. They make everything sound so simple and easy. He exhales and notices for the first time how shaky his hands are. He looks up at his friends, suddenly realizing that he has been waiting—expecting, even—for them to hurl insults at him and cut off ties. He’s been scared. He can admit that to himself now.</p><p><em>You can trust us</em>, that’s what Shorter had said.</p><p>And maybe being best friends for nine years and having your first meeting be in a smelly bathroom counts, because he doesn’t feel like anything that they’re telling him is fake or forced. They really just forgave Ash and accepts this thing with Eiji like it’s not a big deal.</p><p>“Thank you,” Ash mutters, because he doesn’t know what else to say. He hopes they can see the sincerity behind it.</p><p>They both grin at him. He feels his shoulders sag with relief.</p><p>“Besides, you’ve been kinda obsessed with him in the last few months,” says Shorter. Ash kicks his leg. “It’s great you actually got the courage to ask him out. That already makes you ten times cooler than Sing.”</p><p>“So have you always, um, liked boys?” asks Sing, choosing to ignore Shorter’s jab. He looks slightly uncomfortable with saying it out loud, but Ash understands that there’s no malice behind it.</p><p>Ash thinks about it. “No,” he finally says. “I don’t think I’ve liked anyone, really. Just Eiji.”</p><p>“Cool,” says Sing, and Ash is just about to tell him how much he appreciates him when he adds, “Is he wearing a dress to the fair, though?”</p><p><em>Way to ruin it, Sing,</em> Ash thinks. He still offers him a genuine smile, though.</p><p>Shorter calls Sing an idiot and tackles him to the ground. They roll in the snow, punching and laughing, and Ash thinks Eiji will be glad to meet them.</p>
<hr/><p>The frost creeps from the corner of the window like white spindly fingers, reminding Eiji of Alice’s own. He remembers the way she has trailed her hand across the accessories on Eiji’s vanity, the brown eyes that he shares with her, and he shivers.</p><p><em>Alice already told me about it—</em>that’s what his dad has said. What does he mean by that? Does Alice know about his father’s new love? Is she okay with it? Why does Eiji have to wait for three more years before finally meeting this person?</p><p>Eiji does not understand and it’s frustrating him. There’s something happening here, but no one is telling him anything. Sir Blanca only answers his questions about their piano lessons, Yut Lung watches him at all times and refuses to say anything about his dad, and the man himself, well—he’s been acting different. He’s the caring father to Eiji one minute, then he’s a fumbling mess in the face of Alice in the next.</p><p>He frowns and pulls his knees up to his chest. He has a feeling that whoever his father is talking to, it’s someone Eiji knows, because he has told them that Eiji would be happy to see them. So maybe it was someone from the party before? That’s all of the people Eiji knows; he doesn’t really have a wide social circle.</p><p>He can’t remember all the names of the people he’s been introduced to that night, but he does recall some of their faces: men and women with smooth skin and perfectly coiffed hair that look like they haven’t aged a single day. They all shook Eiji’s hand and raked their eyes over his face with little to no shame (“So beautiful, just like Elise”; “You’re right, Kenji, the resemblance is uncanny.”) as if he’s some art piece that’s there for them to admire.</p><p>He pouts and thinks of all the information he possesses in quick succession: Alice. His mother. Her hand-me-downs. Accessories. His appearance. Her hobbies. The medicine. <em>We’ll meet soon. He’s just perfect. I love you</em>—</p><p>Eiji jumps when he hears the door open. Yut Lung walks in, eyebrows drawn as he takes in his appearance. Eiji bets he looks like all the blood has just drained from his face. He won’t be surprised if it has.</p><p>“Are you okay, Eiji?” Yut Lung asks. He places the tray he’s holding on the bedside table and puts a hand on Eiji’s forehead, feeling his temperature. “You don’t have a fever.”</p><p>Eiji shakes his head. “I’m fine. Just a little cold, I guess.”</p><p>Yut Lung tuts. “I see. Do you want more blankets?”</p><p>He makes a move towards the wardrobe, but Eiji stops him. “No! No, I don’t need more. This is enough, Yut Lung. Thank you.”</p><p>“If you say so,” says Yut Lung slowly. He gestures to the tray. “Drink it and go to sleep.”</p><p>“Yut Lung,” Eiji says, trying to test the waters. “Do you think you can give me a haircut?”</p><p>“Sure,” he replies. “It’s just a few inches past your shoulders, though. Not much to trim.”</p><p>“I was thinking,” Eiji scratches the back if his neck, “maybe you can cut it up to my chin?”</p><p>“No,” Yut Lung immediately declines. Of course. Yut Lung can't really defy his father's established rules. “Shoulder-length or no haircut at all, Eiji.”</p><p>“Okay, I understand.” No, he doesn’t, but he plans to. “Good night, Yut Lung.”</p><p>Once the lock clicks, Eiji quickly grabs the pill and adds it to the others. Forget about medication. He’ll refrain from taking them until he’s find out the truth. He needs to maintain a clear head through all this.</p><p>He clenches his fists. Is this right, doubting his own father? He doesn’t know. But there’s a lot going on here, and he’s been in the dark for so long. If they can keep secrets from him, then he can do the same, right? He keeps telling himself that he deserves at least this much.</p><p>When Ash asks him if they’re still going to the Christmas Fair on Saturday and if Eiji wants to meet his friends, he says yes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sing: So you like boys?</p><p>Ash: Only Eiji.</p><p>Sing: Cool cool cool cool no doubt no doubt no doubt</p><p>~</p><p>Follow me on social media!</p><p>Tumblr: marinanorth1</p><p>Twitter: @Marina_North1</p><p>~</p><p>Thank you to everyone who has left a kudos, comment, and bookmark. I appreciate you all. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Episode 5: Life; time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ash, stop burning holes on the clock and help us,” Shorter says, snapping his fingers in front of his face. “Seriously. You’re making us do all the work here.”</p><p>“Sorry,” Ash mutters. “Just got distracted.”</p><p>Shorter shakes his head. “I know you’re excited. It’s the Big Day! The Christmas Fair! The first step towards marriage yada, yada, yada. But you gotta focus, man.”</p><p>Ash throws a balled up skirt straight at Shorter’s face, knocking his sunglasses off.</p><p>“Wasn’t even thinking about any of that,” Ash says defensively.</p><p>“Alright,” Shorter says, but he shoots Sing a look that clearly says like we would ever believe him. “Although,” he grins widely, putting his shades back on, “when you do get married, I am the best man, right?”</p><p>This time he gets his grandma’s smelly old shawl for his troubles.</p><p>“Okay, okay. I give up,” says Shorter. He dumps the shawl on the Rejected pile. Ash grumbles some complaints under his breath. “Anyway, did we find anything good?”</p><p>They’ve been rummaging through some of the Wong’s old clothes for an hour now, trying to pick out some that they can lend to Eiji. Just last week Ash has realized that Eiji has nothing to wear to the fair; half of his wardrobe consists of nigh shirts while the rest Ash can only describe as the world’s largest collection of white cardigans, both of which are not made for the chilly December air. Eiji can’t ask his father for new clothes because that will bring up a lot of questions, but luckily Shorter was gracious enough to offer his help, provided that Ash let him take some of his Daredevil comic books. It was an easy trade.</p><p>There’s currently a mountain of clothes in the middle of Shorter’s room and two boxes labeled Rejected and Date, with the former almost full to bursting. Needless to say, a lot didn’t pass their standards.</p><p>Sing studies the clothes they’ve chosen for the Date pile (Ash has drawn a line over the word, but he can’t do anything about the hearts Shorter has doodled all over it), before nodding his head in approval. He pulls the box close and the three of them bend over it to look at each item closely.</p><p>“I think we’ve got some pretty good options,” Sing says, kneeling. He points at the clothes as he enumerates them: “We’ve got some sweaters, few jean shorts, dresses, overalls—even some sweet neon leggings.”</p><p>“Why on earth would Eiji need <em>that</em>?” Ash asks, picking up the incriminating piece of fabric. The orange hurts his eyes.</p><p>Sing shrugs. “Dunno. Maybe he’ll like to do some yoga or something. Japanese people do it all the time.”</p><p>“Sing, that is ignorant as hell, but points for the consideration,” says Shorter. Sing bows in acknowledgement. “Put that in the Rejected pile.”</p><p>Sing chucks it onto the second box, and Ash fake-gags at how much the leggings’ bright color contrasts against the white frilly dress underneath. He checks the Date pile thoroughly just in case there’s any more hideous clothes hidden in there.</p><p>“Alright, there should be enough options here for him to choose from,” Ash announces, folding the flaps of the box close. He hauls it up with a grunt. “I’ll just let him borrow my parka so he won’t get cold later.”</p><p>Shorter, much to his horror, positively swoons at the statement.</p><p>“Can’t believe I get to be a part of your first date,” his best friend says, wiping away an imaginary tear.</p><p>“You know that sounds weird, right?” Ash tells him, but Shorter only shrugs. He starts down the stairs, the other two close on his heels. “And it’s not a date.”</p><p>“Huh. Says the man who’s carrying a box with the word date on it!”</p><p>“You’re the one who wrote it there, not me!”</p><p>“Let him be.” Sing puts a hand on Shorter’s shoulder to stop him from responding. “He’s in denial.”</p><p>“I’m out of here,” Ash declares when they reach the front door. Seriously, his friends will be the death of him.</p><p>“We’re still meeting tonight, right?” Sing asks.</p><p>“Yup,” Ash confirms as Shorter holds the door open for him. “Nine pm at the tree.”</p><p>“I can’t wait to meet him, man,” says Shorter.</p><p>Ash narrows his eyes. “Please don’t do anything embarrassing.”</p><p>“No promises!”</p><p>Ash marches down the front yard and looks back at his friends, who are still standing by the threshold. “I’ll see you later! Thanks for the help!”</p><p>Sing gives a thumps up; Shorter salutes him. He hears a car honk and turns to see Griffin parked right by the sidewalk, windows rolled down and smiling. Ash runs to meet him.</p><p>“Hey,” he says as he slides into the backseat. “Thanks for picking me up.”</p><p>“No problem,” Griffin replies. He twists on his seat and takes notice of the box resting next to Ash. “What’s that?”</p><p>“Nothing,” he replies quickly. He spins it around so the surface without Shorter’s dumb drawings isn’t facing his older brother. “Just some…stuff. You know, totally non-secretive, non-dates stuff.”</p><p>“That is oddly specific,” says Griffin as they slowly drive down the streets.</p><p>Ash laughs nervously. Gods, why is he such a bad liar? His friends can easily see right through him, so of course Griffin can too.</p><p>“Anyway, Yut Lung called today,” Griffin informs him, and it’s a good thing Ash is only thirteen and isn’t the one driving, because he would have crashed them right there and then.</p><p>Ash cleared his throat. “Oh. W-what did he want?”</p><p>“He’s canceling their weekly orders,” Griffin says. He grins, teasing. “Which means you won’t have to deliver flowers over to them anymore. Congratulations, Ash. You are now free to enjoy your Saturday afternoons.”</p><p>Instead of laughing, Ash just frowns. “Why?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Why did he cancel?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Griffin replies. “Maybe they’re moving? I heard Mr. Okumura’s at New Orleans right now. Maybe he’s looking for a new house there or something. I’m not really sure.”</p><p>“No, that can’t be right. I’d know because Ei—” says Ash, but he catches himself. “I mean, I’m sure we’d know if they are. There would be a For Sale sign at East Cottage. Right? That’s it. So no, they’re not moving.”</p><p>“You’re really interested in that house,” Griffin observes. “Are you still trying to prove that crazy vampire story? Because I already told you, Ash: no more spying.”</p><p>“I’m not doing that anymore, I swear,” says Ash. Oh, if only Griffin knew about what he’s been up to lately. He goes back to their original topic. “Anyway, I’m kinda glad they canceled. Now I don’t have to see that Yut Lung or Mr. Okumura anymore. Shorter’s right—they look like they have a stick up their butts.”</p><p>“Ash!” Griffin admonishes, but Ash can see the corners of his mouth lifting. “Don’t talk like that. They’re good people.”</p><p>“Right,” says Ash, thinking about Eiji locked away inside that mansion. “I bet they’re just great.”</p><hr/><p>Eiji smiles as Yut Lung carefully brushes his hair. He wants to hide his giddiness, but he can’t help it—the thought of going out tonight just fills him with so much excitement. This is his first venture to the outside, so no one can really expect him to be still, right? That’s just too tall an order.</p><p>“You seem happy today,” his caregiver comments. “Any particular reason why?”</p><p>He shakes his head, but the smile doesn’t leave his face. “Nothing. Well, dad gave me a new scarf before he left. I really like it.”</p><p>“It is beautiful,” Yut Lung says. He divides his hair and contemplates. “I’m thinking of doing a waterfall braid. Maybe we can adorn it with some silver barrettes.”</p><p>“Really?” asks Eiji, lighting up at the suggestion. “Wouldn’t it be too complicated, though?”</p><p>“We’ve got time.” Yut Lung looks at their reflection. “Don’t you want to look pretty?”</p><p>Eiji blushes. “Yes. Of course I do.”</p><p>Yut Lung works quietly, fingers weaving the strands together in a skillful way that only years of practice can establish. He sings in a language that Eiji vaguely recognizes as Chinese, and his soft voice combined with the brush’s repetitive strokes almost lulls Eiji to sleep.</p><p>He closes his eyes and thinks of hot chocolate and fairy lights.</p><p>“I think that scarf will really come in handy,” Yut Lung says casually.</p><p>“Hmm-mm,” Eiji says, mind afloat. His thoughts wander to the feel of snow burning on his tongue and he almost giggles.</p><p>“I heard it’s going get really cold tonight,” Yut Lung continues. He pins a few barrettes along the braid.</p><p>“The snow is getting heavy.”</p><p>“You might need to bundle up.”</p><p>Eiji only hums in response; he’s too distracted with the happy scenarios in his head.</p><p>“If <em>he’s</em> bringing some things over, then I suppose you don’t have to borrow from me.”</p><p>Eiji is suddenly awake. He grips Yut Lung’s wrist, stopping him in his movements. Yut Lung can’t be insinuating what he thinks he is, is he? Eiji opens his eyes and meets Yut Lung’s in the mirror. There is no way he could have known about Ash, specifically that he’s coming by later with some clothes to lend him. He can feel Yut Lung’s heartbeat through his thumb; a lock of hair slides out of his grasp and falls against Eiji’s shoulder.</p><p>Yut Lung states: “You think too loud.”</p><p>Eiji is confused, but he decides that feigning innocence will be the best way to go. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean exactly that,” Yut Lung replies calmly. “You think too loud, Eiji. It will get you in trouble someday.”</p><p>He releases him. Yut Lung continues where he left off as if he hasn’t just made his world tilt. Eiji puts his hands on his lap and clenches them, afraid that if he puts them close to his face he’ll see them shaking. This is dangerous. How much does Yut Lung know? He knew they should have been more careful. Now his caregiver will probably tattle on him. He’s just loyal like that.</p><p>“You’re lucky I’m the only one who can hear you in this house,” says Yut Lung.</p><p>Eiji is at a lost. Hear as in hear them talking every night? Or does he mean he can hear Ash climbing up the gates and tree? Is that how he found out about him and their plans?</p><p>“But that won’t be for long,” Yut Lung says, and it almost sounds like a warning. He steps back and admires his work. “There. All done.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Eiji says automatically. He stares hard at his reflection. “Yut Lung, when you said—"</p><p>Eiji hears the lock click and jumps when the curtains shut close, the heavy fabric swishing from the force. Before he can react, Yut Lung has spun him around so they are face-to-face.</p><p>“How did you do that?” Eiji asks, looking frantically at the window.</p><p>“Eiji, listen to me and listen closely. Your father won’t be back for at least two more days, so this might be the last and only chance I’ll get,” he says sternly. Eiji nods, slightly afraid of the intensity in Yut Lung’s gaze. “Things are about to change around here soon, so you should be prepared.”</p><p>“What change?” he says. He leans away from him. “Yut Lung, you’re scaring me.”</p><p>“We have three more years,” Yut Lung mutters. Three more years for what? Why is everyone around Eiji so obsessed with what will happen in the future? “That should be enough.”</p><p>Eiji purses his lips. “What’s going on? Yut Lung, what did you do? How did you—"</p><p>“I can do so much more than just move objects with my mind. What you just saw? That’s mere child’s play,” says Yut Lung, ignoring Eiji’s plea. He squeezes his arm. “But you—you’re going to be greater than I ever was. You just have to learn.”</p><p>“Learn?” Eiji repeats. “Learn what?”</p><p>“Magic,” Yut Lung scoffs as if it should have been obvious, “and everything there is to it. I’m no genius, but I can teach you all the basics: clairvoyance, telekinesis, controlling the element you have an affinity with.”</p><p>Eiji pushes him away. What Yut Lung is saying doesn’t make any sense. Magic isn’t real: it only exists in fairy tales his father told him about and Ash’s comic books. Clearly, Yut Lung has finally lost his mind.</p><p>“You’ve stopped taking your pills, right?”</p><p>“How did you…?”</p><p>“I know you do. Like I said, I can hear you Eiji,” says Yut Lung, tapping a finger to his temple. “The reason why you feel so tired and slow after taking them is because they act as suppressants. Their purpose is to subdue all traces of magic within you. You feel more alert now, correct?”</p><p>His hand creeps towards the tall rectangular vase sitting on the edge of his vanity, the flowers in it all wilted and bent. If Yut Lung does anything funny, he won’t hesitate to defend himself. Eiji’s eyes stray from the vase to the door and—</p><p>He stops. Thinks. Replays the time the lock turned by itself and the curtains moved without Yut Lung doing so much as blinking.</p><p>“People like us have heightened senses, and now that you’re on withdrawal these senses are activated,” Yut Lung explains.</p><p>“Why are you telling me all this?” says Eiji.</p><p>He ignores the nagging voice at the back of his head that’s telling him everything Yut Lung has said so far feels right, like puzzle pieces falling into place, although he doesn’t know what the puzzle is or how Yut Lung himself fits in it. There’s so much to unwrap here.</p><p>Eiji doesn’t know what to think. There’s still a huge part of him that wants to scream at Yut Lung and call him a liar: the small, deep-rooted part in Eiji’s heart that has always been devoted to his father. He wants Yut Lung to stop talking. A piece of the illusion Eiji’s dad has given him gets chipped away with every word he says.</p><p>“Because I want you to be saved,” Yut Lung finally replies, breaking Eiji’s reverie. He looks at him softly. “At least one of us should be.”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t speak and lets Yut Lung’s words wash over him.</p><p>“Do you believe me?” Yut Lung asks.</p><p>He doesn’t want to, he really doesn’t, but…</p><p>“After what you just did, I’d be stupid not to,” Eiji answers honestly, gesturing to the door.</p><p>“Good.” Yut Lung nods and puts a hand to his chin. “Believing is the first step.” He rubs his hands together and walks over to Eiji. “The next should be trying to see if there’s a sufficient amount of magic that flows through you, but you’re starting late—ten years late. So we’re going to take a shortcut.”</p><p>Eiji tries to get away, but his back hits the vanity, making the mirror rattle. “What are you going to do?”</p><p>“If you’re truly worthy, you’ll remember all of this and come looking for me. The magic should call you,” he places his hand on top of Eiji’s head. His mind goes blank. “But for now bask in your ignorance. Wait here for your prince and enjoy one night of freedom with him.”</p><p>Everything goes black.</p><hr/><p>Eiji wakes up to Ash waving a hand to his face.</p><p>“Hey, sleepyhead,” says Ash, smiling. He lifts up a duffel bag and shakes it. “Ready to go? Or do you need more time to nap?”</p><p>He shoves him in the shoulder, but Ash only laughs. Eiji blinks away the last remnants of sleep, body still a little heavy and strangely feeling lost. He chalks it up to exhaustion; after all, he barely got any sleep last night because he was so excited for today.</p><p>“How long have you been here?” he asks as he watches Ash pull out a pair of red, worn-out shoes.</p><p>“Maybe five, ten minutes ago,” says Ash, shrugging. He hands them over to Eiji. “I didn’t want to wake you because you seem to be having a pretty nice dream.” He looks back at him. “What’s it about? Were you flying across the galaxy in a stolen spacecraft?”</p><p>“That’s supposed to be a good dream?” says Eiji, raising an eyebrow. “No, that’s not it. It was about…”</p><p>Eiji trails off, once again feeling like he has missed something. What’s his dream about? He can’t remember.</p><p>“Your hair looks nice, by the way,” says Ash as he starts to lay out some clothes on the carpeted floor. Eiji pats the elaborate braid on his head curiously. Who did this again? “Anyway, here’s all we managed to dig up. I picked out some that I think you’d like, but of course the decision’s all up to you. So what do you think?”</p><p>Ash looks at him expectantly, but Eiji is still touching his hair, trying to figure out when he had time to fix it that way.</p><p>“Eiji?”</p><p>“Yes?” he says, looking up. He sees Ash’s worried expression and immediately starts grabbing some random clothes off the floor. “Sorry, I spaced out for a while there. I’ll just change real quick, alright?”</p><p>“Sure,” Ash replies, and as usual the tips of his ears turn red when he’s flustered. He turns around and puts his hands over his eyes. “I promise I won’t look!”</p><p>Eiji gets dressed—beige wool sweater and overalls, red chucks and knee-high socks with a parka thrown in—and set out to climb over the window and down the tree. It’s so much harder than he thought it would be; he’s too short to reach the branches below without letting go of the ones above him first, so he has to trust Ash to catch him. The gate is easier, mostly because it’s lower and has firmer handholds. As he jumps down from it and drops to the pavement, he has a newfound appreciation for Ash’s efforts to go through this every night to visit him.</p><p>Eiji breathes in the night air and smiles to himself.</p><p>It feels like everything is newer and more magical somehow. The cold wind that rushes pass them as they ride down the streets on Ash’s bike pricks Eiji’s skin and kinda hurts, but it’s fine—the fact that he’s feeling it at all means that he’s finally outside. He’s made it. He’s doing something he’s always wanted and suddenly the world is a kaleidoscope of colors: the night sky reigns black, the streetlamps burn orange, and Ash’s hair is golden.</p><p>“See all this?” says Ash, a little breathless. “This is our town, Eiji. This is where my friends and I grew up, and this is where you’ll make lots of good memories. There’s nothing to be afraid of here.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Eiji replies. They hit a bump in the road and his hold on Ash’s waist tightens momentarily. “Except for those, I guess.”</p><p>Ash laughs. “I’ll work in the summer before I turn sixteen or get Griffin to pay me for all those deliveries he makes me do, then I’ll get myself a car.”</p><p>“That’s nice,” says Eiji as he studies the houses they pass by. He spots a crowd of people ahead and dots of light.</p><p>“Yup. Hey, if I do get a car, maybe I can show you that one hill here—well, it’s more like a cliff, kind of?—but anyway, you can see the whole town spread out before you. It looks really pretty,” Ash tells him. “I think you’ll like it and—"</p><p>“You think we’ll still be friends by then?” Eiji wonders. Three years is a lot of time; anything can happen. He feels like something significant <em>is</em> going to happen, but he doesn’t know what. Three years, three years…</p><p>“Of course. Why wouldn’t we be?” Ash replies immediately, like he can’t even fathom the idea of not being friends with him, and just like that whatever Eiji’s feeling is gone.</p><p>His mind must be playing tricks on him.</p><p>Ash puts his feet down and they skid to a stop. Eiji gapes at the makeshift arch in front of them, the wood wrapped in tinsel and fairy lights along with tiny golden bells.</p><p>“Still tacky as hell,” Ash comments as he locks his bike to a nearby post. “I think they’ve been using that for the entrance since I was a baby.”</p><p>“It’s perfect,” Eiji breathes. Some people actually made this? They must be really creative.</p><p>“Yeah. I guess you’re right,” Ash concedes. He gently pushes him to step through. “Come on, let’s go buy some snacks and meet up with Shorter and Sing.”</p><p>“Okay,” he says as he lets Ash maneuver him through the crowd. There’s a lot of people here.</p><p>Eiji spies a booth selling handmade decorations—a wreath, wicker basket, an angel made of intertwined wires. Lights and banners are strung above them like a guide through this maze of lined up stores. A girl jumps when the sound of a balloon popping from one of the games breaks through the noise.</p><p>“Look.” Ash points at the middle of the square where an area has been cleared out and a group of people are singing some Christmas carols. “You know, when I was a kid Griffin tried to get me to join a choir.”</p><p>Eiji keeps his eyes on the group, mesmerized by their voices, but he still asks, “How was it?”</p><p>Ash waves a hand. “I don’t know. I didn’t join—too much pressure, and I didn’t know if I had the talent for it.”</p><p>“Surely your brother thinks you do,” says Eiji. He puts his hands to his hips and declares, “I bet you sing great.”</p><p>Ash looks amused. “Hmm-mm. Sure, I’ll start a band and maybe we can be the next Beatles or something.”</p><p>“I’m serious, Ash.”</p><p>“So am I. Hey, you think a bowl cut will suit me?”</p><p>“You’re impossible,” says Eiji. “You have to sing for me.”</p><p>“I don’t know about that,” says Ash, scratching the back of his neck. He sneaks a glance at him. “If, <em>hypothetically</em>, I would sing for you, then what song would you like?”</p><p>Eiji only knows those piano pieces that sir Blanca taught him, and he doesn’t even like most of them. “You choose. How about a song from that band you like so much?”</p><p>“Okay. Let’s see,” says Ash, looking at Eiji like he’s memorizing his face. “Dear Prudence.”</p><p>“But my name’s Eiji.”</p><p>“Doesn’t matter. That’s what I will hypothetically sing to you.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“No particular reason,” Ash says as he flees. Eiji follows him, trying and failing not to smile, because for some reason Ash is more prone to being shy today. “Don’t look at me like that.”</p><p>“Like what?” asks Eiji. He doesn’t know what Ash is talking about. He’s just happy that he got a song assigned to him.</p><p>“Like—” Ash starts, but he gives up. “Never mind.”</p><p>He sweeps his hand to show the whole lane of food stands before them, and once again Eiji is in awe. He’s never seen this much sweets before! There’s huge, colorful cotton candies; cookies with various Christmas-themed frostings; candy canes; there’s even a pile of tarts and pies displayed in tiers. Wow.</p><p>“They have le—” he begins excitedly, but Ash already knows what he’s going to say.</p><p>“Lemon tarts, yeah,” he finishes for him, grinning. Ash pulls him to the stand selling them and picks out a box with a dozen of bite-sized tarts in it. Eiji watches as he studies the food like he’s trying to figure them out. “Why are you so obsessed with this stuff?”</p><p>“It’s delicious,” Eiji says simply as Ash pays. Eiji misses them; he’s never had one since his father has decided he’s been gaining weight and needs to cut down on dessert.</p><p>“Well, this is all yours,” Ash says, handing the box to him. “Later when we meet up with—oh my God what is he doing here?”</p><p>Eiji turns to look behind him, but Ash says, “Don’t.”</p><p>“Why? Who are you looking at?”</p><p>“No one. Look, just follow me and—"</p><p>“Hey, Ash,” a voice greets. “I didn’t know you were coming here. I thought you were at Shorter’s today for a campaign?”</p><p>Ash sighs, defeated. “Hello, Griffin.”</p><hr/><p>Gods, this is the worst; he can’t believe his brother is here! Ash knows he shouldn’t have lied to him about his plans for tonight, because now that he’s caught he’s sure he’ll never hear the end of it. He even has Eiji with him, which spells out all kinds of trouble. This is going to be <em>so</em> hard to explain.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he says.</p><p>“Beth’s mom is selling her homemade cookies,” says Griffin, jabbing a thumb at some booth behind him. “I drove them here because Mr. Pierce is still stuck at work.”</p><p>Of course—Griffin is just the type of guy to help out his girlfriend ‘s mom.</p><p>“How about you?” asks his brother. He scrutinizes him. “Does Nadia know you’re here? Ash, I hope you didn’t make her worry—”</p><p>“I’m here with Sing and Shorter, calm down,” says Ash, putting his hands up. He sighs. “Look, I lied about the campaign.” Quietly, he adds, “And I might have taken three dollars from your wallet.”</p><p>“What?” says Griffin, patting his pockets comically. He looks slightly annoyed. “Ash, tell me what's going on.”</p><p>Ash fans himself even though it’s freezing out here. “Huh. You see, it’s kind of a funny story.”</p><p>“No bull, Ash. I know you—"</p><p>“It’s my fault,” Eiji’s small voice interrupts them. He peers at Griffin, hugging the box of treats to his chest. “I asked him to bring me here. Please don’t be mad at him.”</p><p>Ash watches as his brother turns his gaze to Eiji. He sees the moment his eyes light up in recognition, then to the slow realization that he’s here at the Christmas fair with Ash.</p><p>“You’re Mr. Okumura’s son,” Griffin states. He focuses back to Ash. “Now you <em>really</em> have to tell me what’s going on.”</p><p>“It’s going to be a very long explanation,” says Ash, because really, how will he even start? “And honestly? This is not the place nor time.”</p><p>Griffin looks positively miffed, but he considers it. “Fine. But you will tell me everything, Ash. Does Mr. Okumura even know about this?”</p><p>Ash holds up a finger. “I will answer that once I explain everything to you.”</p><p>“I’m taking that as a no,” says Griffin. He sighs. “Look, I’m going to let you two enjoy this night. It’s the holidays, after all.” He holds his hand out to Eiji. “I saw you once when I first visited after you moved here, but I don’t think we’ve ever formally met. I’m Griffin, Ash’s older brother. Although I suppose you already know that, since it seems like you two are close.”</p><p>Eiji glances at Ash, but he’s too busy trying to pretend like his shoes are the most interesting thing in the world right now. Maybe if he stares at the laces long enough Griffin will finally walk away and not say embarrassing things like that anymore.</p><p>“I’m Eiji,” he says, taking Griffin’s hand and bowing a little. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Griffin.”</p><p>His brother laughs good-naturedly. “Just call me Griffin. Everyone does. Your hair looks great, by the way.”</p><p>Eiji blushes at the compliment. Ash decided it's time to intervene.</p><p>“Well, we need to go now. Shorter and Sing are waiting for us,” Ash announces. He grabs Eiji’s sleeve and starts to steer him away.</p><p>“Hey, Eiji,” says Griffin, ignoring him completely. “What’s in that box?”</p><p>Eiji blinks. “Tarts.”</p><p>“I see. I thought it was <em>totally non-secretive, non-dates stuff</em>,” Griffin replies, quoting Ash from earlier this afternoon. He even smirks at him, the evil bastard. “Anyway, I have to go. Enjoy the fair, you two. Stay out of trouble, okay?”</p><p>Ash grumbles his goodbye. Honestly, he’s just glad that Griffin didn’t push it further; he knows how annoying his brother can get when he really sets his mind to it. Seriously, with all the shit Ash is in right now, he’s lucky that conversation did not go off the rails.</p><p>“Oh, one more thing,” says Griffin seriously. “Don’t get too handsy—”</p><p>He spoke too soon.</p><p>“Alright, that’s <em>enough</em>,” Ash says loudly. He aims for a subtle kick to Griffin’s shin, but his brother just moves away. “We’re leaving. Bye!”</p><p>Griffin waves at them until they’ve turned a corner.</p><p>As Eiji picks out a treat, he asks, “What did Griffin mean by that?”</p><p>“Nothing! Forget anything he said,” says Ash, and he’s pretty sure his entire neck and face is red.</p><p>Eiji shrugs and just admires the string of Christmas angels above them.</p><p>Ash looks at him from the corner of his eyes. Eiji looks so content with just standing there and looking at all of these decorations. Ash doesn’t know any other person who would find this so enjoyable, but then again not everyone grew up like Eiji. He seems like he’s glowing; there’s a very faint gold that outlines him, but Ash thinks that it’s just all the bright lights surrounding them.</p><p>“Hey Eiji,” he calls out.</p><p>Eiji blinks at him. “Yes?”</p><p>“I chose Dear Prudence because,” he says, taking a deep breath and willing himself to stay in eye contact, “if I’m going to write a song for you, I think those would be the words I’ll use.”</p><p>“I see,” says Eiji softly. “Well now I really want to hear it.”</p><p>“You will,” he tells him. “Someday.”</p><p>Maybe a few years from now when Ash has figured everything out. When they turn sixteen, maybe. For now they can just stay in the moment and let themselves bask in the thrill of the present.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I love the comments because everyone's theories are so amusing to read.</p><p>Follow me on social media!</p><p>Tumblr: marinanorth1</p><p>Twitter:@Marina_North1</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Episode 6: Cheap Thrills</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The taste of chocolate floods Eiji’s tongue—but also immediately burns it. He sputters and holds the cup away from him, prompting Ash to laugh. He’s sitting beside him on the bench, the same cup of hot chocolate in his hands, but unlike Eiji, Ash has sense enough to wait for the drink to cool down a little before taking a sip.</p><p>Eiji frowns at his cup like it’s just betrayed him.</p><p>“Here,” says Ash, offering a candy cane.</p><p>Eiji takes it and looks at him, questioning.</p><p>“Use it to stir,” says Ash. He dunks the end of the cane into his cup and begins to swirl it around the hot liquid. “Gives a little sweetness to it.”</p><p>“No,” says Eiji, shaking his head. He doesn’t want to tamper with his drink; he feels like it’ll lose its novelty. “I think this is fine.”</p><p>Ash shrugs and takes a bite out of the candy.</p><p>They sit in silence, watching as the townspeople meandered through the lanes upon lanes of stalls and booths, unmindful that it’s only a few hours away from midnight and they need to be early for church tomorrow. Their spot at the side seems to be the only one unmarked by a crowd, making it almost secluded. If Eiji closed his eyes and ignored all the noise, he can pretend that they’re the last two people on earth.</p><p>The stars are more visible now that Eiji’s far from the blinding lights and streamers blocking his view. It looks like a splatter of silver glitter against a huge black canvas. He thinks he can sit here for hours: close enough to feel the warmth radiating off Ash, the sounds of laughter muffled in his ears, chocolate on his lips. He feels a sense of contentment settle into his bones.</p><p>Eiji hums. He doesn’t know any particular songs, so he just makes something up as he goes. Ash slumps in his seat, tilting his head a little to hear him better, and if he moves a little closer he could have rested on Eiji’s shoulder.</p><p>“Is that something you played on the piano?” Ash asks, voice hushed.</p><p>Eiji shakes his head and continues humming. Ash doesn’t say anything, just looks at him from the corner of his eyes. Eiji doesn’t feel uncomfortable under his gaze, unlike when his father is poking and prodding his body for any signs of imperfection or when total strangers study his face to see just how much he resembles his mother. He doesn’t know what to make of it.</p><p>“Ash,” he says.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Tell me all about the stars.”</p><p>So for the next half hour they just sit there, with Ash pointing at all the constellations he can recognize and the stories behind their names. His eyes will turn wide when he gets really excited about their journeys, then darken just as quickly as he recounts tales of woe and tragedy.</p><p>Eiji basks in the warmth of the cup in his hands and Ash’s steady voice. He wishes every day can be like this, full of comfort and freedom, but then he remembers Yut Lung’s words: <em>wishes will only come true if you work hard for it. </em></p><p>Easy for him to say. Yut Lung isn’t the one confined to his bedroom and has to take pills. Eiji wants to do something, but how can he when all the resources he needs are withheld from him? One night of freedom already took up a lot of work.</p><p>He sighs. If only Eiji can snap his fingers and magically make all of his problems disappear.</p><p>
  <em>Magic. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I want you to be saved. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Believing is the first step. </em>
</p><p>Eiji blinks. Who told him all those things? He glances at Ash, who’s halfway through his narration of Cassiopeia’s myth. Did he hear those words from one of Ash’s many rants about the shows he’s seen? Probably. He is always telling him bizarre stories of unknown worlds full of heroes and enchantments.</p><p>“Hey,” says Ash, looking at him strangely. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Eiji replies after a pause. “Sorry. What’re you saying again?”</p><p>Ash squints at him. “Are you sure you’re alright? You had the same look on your face earlier, you know. When you were trying to remember what you dreamt about.”</p><p>Right, there’s that dream Eiji can’t even recall no matter how hard he tries. What is happening to him today? Is it the anxiety of going outside for the first time that’s making him so spacey?</p><p>“Hey, if you’re feeling sick, I can take you back—”</p><p>“No!” Eiji immediately says, startling Ash. “I mean—it’s nothing. Really. I’m just…” he hugs himself. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“What are you apologizing for?” Ash asks. “I think the cold may be getting to you. I know you said you feel fine, but let’s not take a risk, yeah?”</p><p>“But I don’t want to go home yet,” he points out. He doesn’t care if he falls ill by not taking his pills tonight; he wants to make the most out of the time here at the fair.</p><p>Ash sighs, probably sensing that he can’t win this one. “Okay. Let’s go to the tree since it’s just a few minutes before nine anyway. Maybe a short walk will help.”</p><p>Eiji nods. Before he can stand up, Ash takes off the beanie he’s wearing and puts it on him, adjusting the bottom so that it won’t ruin Eiji’s elaborate braid. Eiji just sits still as Ash fusses: he zips his parka shut and even checks if his socks are still dry.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Eiji finally asks.</p><p>“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Ash answers as he fixes the beanie again. Eiji’s long hair has bunched up on his ears. “Your dad’s going to hate me if he finds out I’ve been sneaking ‘round his house for the last month, but he’s really gonna kill me if I made you sick.”</p><p>“Dad’s not going to do that,” says Eiji, though he really has no idea about what his father’s going to do if he catches Ash all sprawled out on his bedroom floor like he owns the place. Eiji likes to think that his father will like him, but it’s a theory he’s afraid to test.</p><p>Ash mutters, “He’s going to want to kill me someday, believe me.”</p><p>“Why is that?”</p><p>“That’s just how dads are. You know, when—” his ears redden. “Forget it.”</p><p>“When what?” Eiji says. He tries to read Ash’s face but fails, so he just throws out a conjecture. “When people make friends?”</p><p>“Not exactly friends,” Ash says under his breath.</p><p>“Then what?” he presses.</p><p>“Nothing,” Ash replies, standing up. “Let’s go.”</p><p>He holds onto the fabric of Ash’s jacket, afraid that if he lets go he’ll get lost in the crowd. Their talk made Eiji think about his dad. He’s in New Orleans right now, visiting Alice, and it’s a blessing because Eiji doesn’t have to worry about being caught. Still, he can’t help but imagine the utter horror and disappointment on his dad’s face if he finds out Eiji went out without his permission. It makes his stomach churn. What if the reason why his dad doesn’t allow him to go outside is because it really is dangerous? He’s been protecting him all this time, but here Eiji is, just throwing caution to the wind.</p><p>Ash pats his hand to get his attention. He raises his eyes to find him smiling as he points at the tree up ahead.</p><p>The tree is tall, <em>taller</em> than Eiji imagined, and it glows like a lighthouse in the middle of the sea of people. He marvels at the sight: huge Christmas balls hang from its tips like fruits ready for picking; multicolored lights are wrapped in a downward spiral all around; and different ornaments—red flowers, angels, artificial snow-covered pinecones and bells—dot its branches. It almost seems like it’ll fall from the weight of it all.</p><p>Eiji momentarily forgets about all his doubts. His hand falls away from Ash’s sleeve.</p><p>It’s the star at the top of the tree that really amazes Eiji. Ash is right when he said that it’s barely visible from where they’re standing, but if he views it from a distance, he can see it shining bright. He wants to reach out and touch it; maybe if he does he can keep some of its light in a jar and save it for a wish.</p><p>Eiji walks around the tree slowly, taking in every single detail. He spies Ash crouching before the tree’s base and experimentally shaking the huge presents underneath. Oh, what he’ll give to have a camera right now. A photo of this moment will be very nice, like a physical reminder of his one milestone in life. A very small and quite ridiculous one at that (after all, who marks going to some fair as a groundbreaking event?) but Eiji doesn’t care. He wants to treasure every second of tonight.</p><p>“Look at this,” Ash calls out. He’s poking one of the presents wrapped in flimsy gold paper. “They’re all empty.”</p><p>Eiji crouches next to him. “I suppose they don’t want to put anything in it in case someone steals them.”</p><p>Ash scoffs. “Well, joke’s on them.”</p><p>“What?” he asks, confused. He watches as Ash pushes aside the giant boxes, seemingly looking for something, and almost jumps when he shouts <em>Aha!</em> “Ash, what are you—”</p><p>“This is going to be your souvenir,” says Ash. In his hands is a present so small it can easily fit inside the side pockets of Eiji’s overalls.</p><p>Eiji takes it reluctantly.</p><p>Ash pulls out a permanent marker from his jacket. “We’ll have to make it special, of course, so let’s sign our names on it. That way, you’ll always remember tonight.”</p><p>Eiji wants to tell him that he can’t forget this even if he tried, but he hands the present back to Ash anyway. The marker makes a squeaking sound as Ash tries to write as neatly as possible while the box is resting on his knee. When he’s done, he shows it to Eiji.</p><p>
  <em>12. 17. ’83. – Ash </em>
</p><p>“Your turn,” Ash says, giving the marker to him.</p><p>Eiji is just about to write his name on it when someone suddenly tackles Ash to the ground. He shrieks and jumps away from the commotion, holding the present to his chest in a protective manner.</p><p>“Ash!” says Eiji, watching as he and this person roll on the snow, red and yellow clothes becoming a blur.</p><p>“Get off me, you asshole,” Ash says, kicking the body to the side. “Shorter, what the hell—let go!”</p><p>The other boy—Shorter—laughs loudly. “Man, you should have seen the look on your face.”</p><p>Ash shoves him. Shorter falls face first, so in retaliation he pulls Ash’s leg just as he stands up. He flaps his arms to regain his balance, but it doesn’t work—he hits the ground with a thump. Shorter laughs again, and this time it’s Ash who tackles him.</p><p>“What a bunch of idiots,” someone comments. Eiji looks to his right and finds another boy standing there, gazing at Ash and Shorter with more than mild exasperation.</p><p>“Who are you?” Eiji asks.</p><p>The boy grins. “Name’s Sing. Ash told us to meet you here.”</p>
<hr/><p>Shorter’s really out here ruining every important thing in Ash’s life: his book, his clothes, his not-so-date. Seriously, what kind of person greets their friend like that? Nutcases like Shorter, that’s who.</p><p>“Gods, you’re so lame,” Shorter tells him. He flails his hands around. “You fight like this.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Ash says. He brushes the snow off his clothes then looks around. “Where’s Eiji?”</p><p>He spots him standing to the side, right next to Sing who looks like he’s already bored out of his mind. Ash sighs in relief, but then he realizes that Eiji saw him totally losing against Shorter, and his cheeks flare up in embarrassment.</p><p>“Wow, Ash,” says Shorter, following his gaze. “He’s prettier up close. You got lucky.”</p><p>Ash elbows him, perhaps a little too hard, but that’s what he gets for making a fool out of both of them.</p><p>“Hey-o!” Shorter yells, waving. He walks briskly towards Eiji, who backs away. Shorter raises his hands in a placating gesture. “Whoa. I come in peace.”</p><p>“Should’ve said that before you decided to attack me,” Ash sulks.</p><p>Shorter smirks. “I wanted to surprise you! It was hilarious.”</p><p>“No, it’s not.”</p><p>“For me it is,” says Shorter. He holds a hand out to Eiji. “Shorter. It is <em>so nice</em> to meet you.”</p><p>Eiji takes his hand delicately. “I’m Eiji.”</p><p>“I know,” Shorter says cheerily. “Ash told us all about you.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Eiji, surprised. “What did he say?”</p><p>Ash makes a slitting motion across his throat. Shorter thankfully understands the signal.</p><p>“Nothing much,” he says, flippant.</p><p>Before Eiji can press him for details, Ash says, “So what are we going to do? I know—we can go to that one game here where you have to shoot rings through the snowman—”</p><p>“We’re not going to play any games,” Sing interrupts him. “At least none of the stupid ones here at the fair.”</p><p>“What’re you planning?” says Ash immediately, narrowing his eyes.</p><p>Shorter and Sing share devious grins.</p><p>Nope. Nuh-uh. He knows his friends; Sing and Shorter plotting together can only mean bad news. There’s a reason why Ash is the Dungeon Master for all these years. Alarm bells go off in Ash’s head, but before he can pull Eiji away from their impending doom, Shorter grabs his arm and locks him in place.</p><p>“What are you planning?” Ash repeats, more firmly this time. Eiji looks back and forth between the three of them nervously. “I’m telling Nadia on you.”</p><p>“Calm down,” Shorter says. He shoots Eiji a reassuring smile. “We’re not doing anything dangerous, I promise.”</p><p>“Since this might be Eiji’s only chance to go out for a while and it’s our first time meeting him, we figured we’d do something fun,” says Sing, shrugging. “Let him know what it feels like to be part of the gang.”</p><p>Eiji is touched by the sentiment. “That’s very nice of you.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Ash agrees, dumbfounded. He’s never pegged Shorter and Sing as the sentimental types, but here they are considering Eiji’s disposition and doing him a sweet gesture. It’s strangely heart warming. “That <em>is</em> very nice of you.”</p><p>“Come on, don’t sound so surprised,” Shorter chides.</p><p>“I just—I didn’t expect you to do something like this, that’s all,” he explains.</p><p>Sing looks smug. “We have our moments, you know.”</p><p>“Savor them while they last,” Ash teases. Sing flips him off.</p><p>“Eiji,” Shorter calls out. “Tonight you will learn the art of egging.”</p><p>“<em>Egging</em>,” Eiji repeats. Ash doubts he knows what he’s getting himself into, but Eiji looks so enthralled by this new thing that he has to restrain himself from calling this whole thing off.</p><p>“But most importantly,” Shorter spreads his arms out, “you will know justice.”</p><p>"Wow," says Ash, dripping with sarcasm.</p><p>Eiji’s eyes shone. “Let’s do it.”</p><p>“That’s the spirit!” Shorter claps once. “Alright, now that everyone’s on board, we can finally execute Operation Egg-xtravaganza.”</p><p>Sing raises a hand. “I just want to say that I’m still against the name.”</p><p>“I second that,” Ash pipes up. “Also, if things go awry, I’m taking Eiji home.”</p><p>There’s only a minimal chance that their prank is going to fail, but Ash isn’t taking any chances. He doesn’t know how serious Eiji’s sickness is and they’re only here on borrowed time, so he’d like to avoid any problems. He really doesn’t want to meet Eiji’s dad under dire circumstances, like in the hospital or in jail or the living room of their house with Griffin. That will suck big time.</p><p>“Duly noted,” says Shorter, unperturbed. He points at Eiji. “Your night is about to turn from good to straight up <em>the best</em>.”</p><p>Eiji looks awestruck; Sing just tells Shorter to shut his mouth and hurry up, he’s freezing out here.</p><p>Shorter declares: “Grab your bikes, boys. We’re about to enter the belly of the beast.”</p>
<hr/><p>“Shorter,” Ash says when they reached their destination. “You can’t be serious.”</p><p>He has overestimated his friends. Shorter and Sing are big fat liars because what they’re about to do isn’t safe at all.</p><p>Where they are isn’t the belly of the beast. This—this is the beast’s mouth wide open, fangs and all, just waiting for the feast. A feast that apparently Sing and Shorter is willingly going to offer themselves to.</p><p>They’re in front of a two-story house at the cul-de-sac. The peach-colored front porch and flower boxes perched on the window sills seem innocent enough, but Ash isn’t a fool; he knows what monster lurks inside those walls. He can’t believe his friends want to wake, much less provoke it.</p><p>“Eiji, here’s a quick history lesson,” says Shorter. He points at Sing. “Ash and I first met Sing when we were in second grade, after he was brutally murdered—”</p><p>“I got my head dunked into the toilet bowl,” Sing clarifies.</p><p>“—by none other than Frederick Arthur,” continues Shorter.</p><p>“I know about him,” Eiji says, frowning, and Ash is surprised he even remembers the name. He’s only mentioned Arthur in passing, mainly because all stories involving him ends up with Ash being thrown in the dumpster. “He’s mean.”</p><p>“Damn right he is,” says Shorter. “He’s been tormenting all of us for years. Thinks he’s the king of Oaks Town Middle School.” He unzips his backpack. “He’s kicked my ass more times than I can count.”</p><p>What he has said is not exactly true. Out of the three of them, Shorter is the only one who can put up a decent fight. He’s rubbed Arthur’s face in the dirt at least twice this year due to the combined forces of his growth spurt and overall unyielding personality.</p><p>“And it’s not only Sing that’s fallen victim to him,” Shorter adds. “I know for a fact that he’s taken Oliver Jennings's lunch money every day for the past two years, and he’s been calling Cain and the others some bad names.”</p><p>“In short, he’s a dickwad,” says Sing.</p><p>“A massive one,” Ash contributes. He glares at his friends. “Which is why this is crazy! If Arthur catches us, we’re dead meat.”</p><p>“Okay, but if we succeed, we become legends come freshman year,” says Sing carelessly. He eyes Ash. “You’re not going to chicken out, are you?”</p><p>Ash blushes at the accusation. “What—do you have no regard for your own safety?”</p><p>“Eh. Not really.”</p><p>"He literally did a swirly on you—" </p><p>"Years ago! That's in the past now. What's important is I'm going to make things even."</p><p>“I’m the only one thinking straight here!” Ash says.</p><p>Shorter snorts. “Definitely not.”</p><p>Sing raises an eyebrow. “You’re worrying about nothing. I don’t see Eiji complaining.”</p><p>Sure enough, Eiji is diligently waiting for Shorter’s instructions. He seems unfazed by the whole thing—he’s swinging lightly by the balls of his feet, hands clasped in front of him.</p><p>“Stop bickering, ladies.” Shorter produces a carton of eggs wrapped in newspaper from his bag. He raises it for all of them to see. “Behold: karma in its solid form.”</p><p>He hands one egg to them each.</p><p>Ash cradles it in his hands and says: “I hope you know we may not get out of this alive, Wong.”</p><p>He hopes using Shorter’s last name will knock some sense into him, but all it did is encourage him. He nods at Sing, who proceeds to run across the yard as stealthily as he can. He disappears around the corner and they wait for bated breath for him to give the all-clear. Ash’s palms are sweating.</p><p>A two-tone whistle echoes through the street.</p><p>Shorter leads the charge, with Eiji in the middle and Ash bringing up the rear. He keeps an eye on the windows, praying that it won’t suddenly flood with lights—they’re screwed if that happens.</p><p>Once they’re under one of the second-floor windows, Shorter says, “Eiji, you shall have the honor of firing the first shot.”</p><p>Ash expects him to decline, but instead he pulls his arm back, takes aim, then promptly throws the egg without so much as a second thought. They watch it sail through the air before smacking right at the bottom corner of the window. The yolk hangs there like snot.</p><p>Eiji smiles proudly. Ash just gapes at him.</p><p>Letting out a war cry, Sing and Shorter start their barrage, and soon enough Arthur’s window is covered in slime and shells. Ash joins in, still wary but enticed by the manic laughter of his friends. He thinks he has a pretty good aim—he feels accomplished when he hits one right in the middle of the glass—and relishes in the beauty of what they’re doing. He can’t believe he’s finally getting payback after all these years.</p><p>He listens as Shorter recounts stories of their many epic and one-sided battles with Arthur and his gang. He accompanies each of Eiji’s throws with an anecdote.</p><p>“That’s for pulling Sing’s pants down last year!” Shorter says as Eiji lands one on the sill. “Ash wants his science homework back!” earns Arthur a splattered egg white on the wall above his window.</p><p>They’re halfway through another carton when Arthur’s lights turn on and he himself leans out. He spots them huddled below, and he scowls darkly. It will have been more menacing had he not been wearing purple silk pajamas and his hair isn’t all over the place.</p><p>“You assholes,” he growls.</p><p>“Hey, Arthur,” says Shorter, waving. “Nice shirt. Real fashionable.”</p><p>Arthur inspects his window. “What the hell did you losers do?”</p><p>“We’re bringing you a late night snack,” Shorter replies happily. “Scrambled eggs!”</p><p>Sing is in fits.</p><p>“You’re all gonna regret this,” Arthur threatens. “Just you wait, I’m going to knock your teeth off and—"</p><p>“Holy shit!” says Shorter as Arthur suddenly sputters and takes a step back.</p><p>An egg has hit him square in the face. The three of them turn to Eiji, who looks surprised but pleased with his work. Oh God—he's just given them a death sentence. Ash wants to whack him upside the head and kiss him at the same time.</p><p>He’s about to let fly again when Ash suddenly grabs his hand.</p><p>“That’s enough,” he says. Eiji blinks at him innocently, but he lets the egg drop to the snow. “Let’s bail!”</p><p>Shorter cackles as they escape. Sing jumps over the small hedges like he’s some star in an action movie, but his foot gets caught in one branch and he falls face first on the ground. Shorter picks him up by the hood of his jacket, cackling even louder now.</p><p>Arthur struggles to wipe the mess off his face. He regains his senses just in time to see them hop on their bikes. Sing and Shorter, who has no one to lug around, speeds away, leaving Ash and Eiji behind.</p><p>“You and your friends are dead, Callenreese!” Arthur yells after them. “You hear me? You’re <em>dead</em>!”</p><p>He doesn’t bother answering him. Once he’s sure Eiji’s secure, he drives off, not daring to look back in case Arthur gets impatient and decides to beat them up now rather than on Monday.</p><p>Once he’s caught up to his friends, he shouts, “I told you we’ll get in trouble! I told you—”</p><p>“Oh, shut up!” says Sing, panting. “Eiji’s the one who threw an egg at him!”</p><p>Shorter grins. “Ha! That was the best thing ever! I didn’t know you had it in you, Eiji, but I’m impressed!”</p><p>Ash can’t see Eiji, but judging from how his hold on Ash momentarily tightens and the tiny squeak he let out, he assumes he’s happy with the compliment.</p><p>“You’re boyfriend’s awesome!” Shorter tells Ash, letting go of one of the handles to give him a thumbs up.</p><p>Ash screams in frustration.</p><p>He leads them to East Cottage, deciding that Eiji’s had enough excitement for one day. The neighborhood is quiet, a stark contrast to how loud Ash’s heart is still thumping from the adrenaline. Eiji has his cheek pressed against Ash’s back, arms slowly slipping away from his waist, telling Ash that he’s dangerously close to sleeping.</p><p>“Hey,” Ash says softly. “Stay with me for a few more minutes, okay? We’re almost at your house.”</p><p>“The present,” Eiji murmurs.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“I want Sing and Shorter to sign it, too.”</p><p>Ash remembers the small green box that has his name on it. “Oh. Do you still have it with you?”</p><p>Eiji nods.</p><p>“Okay,” says Ash, glancing at his two friends who are making faces at Eiji to keep him awake. He grins. “Those idiots deserve it, I guess.”</p>
<hr/><p>Ash is sitting on the window sill, legs swinging over empty air, waiting. Eiji places the present—now bearing Sing’s neat handwriting and Shorter’s name and doodles—on his desk before turning back to say goodbye.</p><p>Eiji doesn’t know how to start. For one, he doesn’t want Ash to leave. If Eiji had any say in it, he’d like to spend every waking minute with him, but it’s already late, and he doesn’t want Griffin to worry. Second, he doesn’t know how to express his gratitude in a way that feels sufficient; after all, how do you thank someone who’s tried his best to make your wish come true?</p><p>“What you did back at Arthur’s,” Ash starts, “is reckless as it is amazing.”</p><p>Eiji remains quiet, still trying to rack his brains for something.</p><p>“I’ll probably get killed on Monday,” he continues. “But you know what? I think it was kinda worth it.”</p><p>Eiji frowns at the statement. “Please don’t die.”</p><p>“I’ll try my best,” Ash says lightly. He grabs the branch closest to the window and prepares to climb down.</p><p>“Wait,” Eiji says. Ash looks at him expectantly. “Tonight was…really great. Perfect, even.”</p><p>“Even if we got busted and there’s some egg yolk smeared under our shoes?”</p><p>“There is?”</p><p>“Mine does. I stepped on one while we were running away.”</p><p>Eiji can’t help it: he laughs, the kind that makes his chest heave and bring tears to his eyes. Ash looks offended.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he says once he’s regained his composure. “I’m sorry. For throwing that egg at Arthur and laughing at you.” He offers Ash a genuine smile. “But I meant what I said: everything was perfect. So thank you, Ash. Very much.”</p><p>Ash scratches the back of his neck. “’s not a big deal.”</p><p>“It is to me,” he says, finally coming up with an idea. “Could you come back here for a second?”</p><p>“Why?” Ash asks, confused, but he pulls himself up anyway.</p><p>Ash has his arms resting on the window ledge and his feet on the branch; Eiji can see that he’s standing on his tiptoes. He looks at him, waiting, green eyes startlingly bright. Eiji kneels on the bedroom floor so they’re on the same level.</p><p>“Hi,” says Ash cheerily. He gazes at his shoes, then down to the snow below. “I hope you didn’t ask me to come closer so you can push me.”</p><p>Eiji shakes his head. “No—nothing like that. I just want to thank you.”</p><p>“I already said it’s no big deal. I don’t need any—"</p><p>Eiji kisses him on the cheek. It makes his heart flutter. He pulls back and watches in fascination as a blush creeps from Ash’s neck to his face.</p><p>“You look like a tomato,” he tells him.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ash replies, dazed. He has a hand on the spot where Eiji kissed him.</p><p>“Good night.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Be careful on your way back.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Tell Shorter and Sing that I had lots of fun.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Eiji suppresses the urge to laugh.</p><p>“Eiji?” says Ash quietly.</p><p>He tilts his head. “Hmm?”</p><p>“I think you missed a spot.” Ash points at his other cheek. “Right here. See?”</p><p>Eiji beams at him. All the butterflies in his stomach has probably taken flight (that’s the correct phrase, he assumes) as he leans in and gives Ash another kiss.</p><p>“There. Now it’s all balanced out,” Eiji jokes after, though he’s certain his face mirrors Ash’s right now, all red and dreamy. He remembers that he’s still wearing Ash’s beanie, so he takes it off and offers it back. “Here. If you don’t go now, you’ll freeze.”</p><p>But Ash didn’t move an inch. He keeps his hold on the ledge, staring hard at him. Eiji wants to look away, but he can’t—he’s always been drawn to Ash, but now it’s almost like an invisible force is pulling him in. He’s completely spellbound.</p><p>Ash says, “If I sing you Dear Prudence right this instant, are you going to thank me again?”</p><p>Eiji flicks him on the forehead, but there’s a huge smile on his face. He stands up.</p><p>“Good night, Ash,” he says.</p><p>Ash grumbles as he makes his way down the tree. When he drops down on the snow, he looks up and declares, “I just want you to know that from now on I expect every thank you to be like that. Remember, you started it.”</p><p>Eiji waves him off. He closes his window and immediately jumps into bed, grabbing the nearest pillow that he can squeal into. When he’s done, he turns to the present on his desk, the date burning into his mind: December 17, 1983—hands down the best night of Eiji’s life so far.</p><p>His happiness is short-lived. When the clock struck midnight, he hears the gates groan open and a car pull up on the front steps. Eiji goes out his bedroom and quietly creeps down the stairs.</p><p>There, standing at the threshold, is Alice, a huge suitcase at her feet.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's been a very busy week for me, and I was afraid I wouldn't have time to upload this chapter, but I'm glad everything worked out in the end. </p><p>Edit: I will not be able to upload a new chapter this week, but fear not—I'll be back right in time for Valentine's for a new chapter. I've been very busy with work and I'm starting to feel a little stressed. I hope you understand.</p><p>However, there will be Bluebird content: I'll be uploading some fanart I did for this fic on my Twitter account so watch out for that this weekend! Love you all and stay safe.</p><p>Follow me on social media!</p><p>Tumblr: marinanorth1</p><p>Twitter:@Marina_North1</p><p>Thank you for all the kudos, bookmarks, and comments. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Episode 7: Turning Tides</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Good morning,” is the first thing Alice says when she claims her seat at the head of the table, then “Put that thing away. I want coffee, not a bunch of boiled leaves. One teaspoon of sugar, no milk,” being the second. Yut Lung scampers to the kitchen to fetch it for her, moving in a speed Eiji has never seen him do before.</p><p>It has only been a minute since Alice joined them for breakfast, and yet she has completely changed their entire dynamic. For one, she’s sitting at the chair that Eiji’s father usually occupies. Now his dad sits on Alice’s right, face hidden behind the newspaper that he’s reading. Eiji wants to point out this sudden change, but he decides against it after much thought; he doubts his dad is bothered about it, and if he is then he isn’t showing it. He’s always been a pushover when it comes to Alice. She reclines on her seat, comfortable, brandishing a butter knife as she waits for Yut Lung’s return.</p><p>Eiji stabs his fork on the scrambled eggs until they’re all smashed into little pieces. His father slowly turns a page. There’s something in the air—tension, but not quite—that makes Eiji hold on to his breath.</p><p>“Eiji, stop playing with your food,” Alice says.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he asks, no longer able to contain his curiosity. He doesn’t care if he sounds rude. He wants answers and it seems like no one is willing to give it to him unless he demands them himself.</p><p>He’s convinced that Alice’s arrival last night is nothing but a vivid dream, something that his exhausted brain has conjured, but her presence before him now has finally pulled him back to reality.</p><p>Alice is immaculate for someone who has just woken up. There are no crusts in the corners of her eyes, no faint lines on her skin that suggests a restless sleep. If Eiji thought that she looked young before, then it was nothing compared to how she looked now: her hair was down, shining in the light like spun bronze, making her face rounder and softer. She could have easily passed as Eiji’s aunt.</p><p>“Are you staying with us, Alice?” he inquires further.</p><p>He hears his father grunt in disapproval at his bluntness. Eiji ignores him. He has no reason to mind him unless he takes part in the conversation, and it doesn’t seem like he plans to if the way he cowers under Alice’s gaze back then is any indication.</p><p>Alice spares a glance at his dad, and sensing that she will receive no help, says: “Yes, dear.”</p><p>“How long?” A few months? Years? Forever?</p><p>“For as long as you’ll have me,” she says vaguely. She places the knife down. “So, what do you think? Would you like me to live here with you?”</p><p>“I’d like that very much,” he lies, because there’s no point in voicing out his dissent in a matter that’s obviously already settled. Growing up in a controlled environment has taught Eiji to choose his battles.</p><p>Alice smiles. “I’m here to help you. You’re about to experience a lot of changes—physically and emotionally—and I’m here to guide you through it. Do you understand that, Eiji?”</p><p>He doesn’t, but he nods anyway.</p><p>It seems like his dad has finally found his voice because he adds: “I’m very busy with work, so I won’t be there for you. We’re lucky that your grandmother is kind enough to lend a hand. We should be grateful.”</p><p>“Thank you, Alice,” he says meekly.</p><p>She waves a dismissive hand. “Just know that my being here is for your sake.”</p><p>“Exactly,” his dad says. “Just trust us, okay, little bird?”</p><p>Yut Lung reappears and places the coffee in front of Alice. The rich aroma fills the room. She takes a sip, staring at Eiji over the rim of her cup.</p><p>Eiji goes back to murdering the eggs on his plate. Alice shakes her head at his lack of table manners, but she refrains from commenting this time. Eiji can’t read her. Is she going to pamper him and lock him away like his father does, or does she have something else planned? Her appearance is so abrupt, like a sudden slam to the chest that Eiji didn’t see coming, leaving him disoriented.</p><p>A hand touches his own—just a quick pat, something so fleeting he might have just imagined it. He glances at his right where Yut Lung is sitting, and he gives Eiji an almost imperceptible nod.</p><p>It has the opposite effect: instead of being comforted, Eiji only feels embarrassed. He must look pitiful, because why else would Yut Lung feel the need to support him? Face flushed, he slumps on his seat and sets aside his food. He doesn’t think he can take anything right now.</p><p>“The year’s about to end,” says Alice absently as she swirls the leftover coffee in her cup. “I’ve grown old again. Soon some disease or another will take me.”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t know what she’s so worried about; she looks perfectly healthy to him.</p><p>“I think you look lovely, Alice,” he offers as a consolation.</p><p>“Thank you, dear,” she says, fond. “That’s just the reality of it, though: we grow old and then we die.” She contemplates for a minute. “Death is such a terrifying thing, don’t you think?”</p><p>Eiji hasn’t given it much thought, to be honest. It seems like Alicr isn’t actually expecting him to answer, though, as she continues with her rambling.</p><p>“Sometimes we skip the first part and jump right into death.” The cup clatters as she puts it down. “Just like what happened to your mother. Life is so unfair.”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t know what to say to that. His dad coughs loudly.</p><p>“Make the most out of it, that’s what I always say,” Alice goes on. She gives Eiji a cryptic smile. “It seems like you learned that just recently. Tell me, was it fun?”</p><p>His father looks back and forth between him and Alice. Eiji sits stock-still, hoping that Alice’s question is merely rhetorical. Surely, she can’t have known about…?</p><p>“You think too loud. I can hear you,” says Alice, and Eiji feels an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Where did he recognize those words from?</p><p>He doesn’t know how she found out about Ash or any of yesterday’s events, but he does know one thing: there’s a new master of the house.</p><hr/><p>Eiji locks himself in his bedroom the entire day. He rejects Yut Lung’s invitation for afternoon tea and pretends to be asleep when his father checked on him a few hours ago.</p><p>He’s panicking. He knows the signs: the fear of leaving his safe space, the biting of his nails. Alice’s words from earlier has left him shaken. He doesn’t know what kind of voodoo magic she has that she’s managed to figure out what Eiji’s been up to when she’s been miles away from him, but wondering about it now is a moot point: she knows and Eiji is in a bind.</p><p>He doesn’t know how to move. Alice is a wild card; Eiji barely knows her and can’t decipher her thoughts. How is he supposed to act around her? Is she going to reveal Eiji’s secrets to his father? It’s only logical for her to do so since they’re working together to raise Eiji, whatever that means.</p><p>He throws himself on bed and stares at the ceiling. This is it—this is the universe’s way of punishing him for going outside and disobeying his father. He’s been a bad son, keeping secrets, skipping his medication, going off on his own without permission. He’s betrayed his father’s trust, so now it’s time to pay the price.</p><p>He probably won’t see Ash again. Suddenly, he’s thankful that Ash won’t be coming to see him tonight, because Eiji honestly doesn’t know how to say goodbye to him.</p><p>Alice is right—life is unfair.</p><p>He hears a knock and Yut Lung announcing it’s time for his pills, and Eiji sighs. He stares at the signed present sitting on his desk and shoves it at the very back of his closet, right next to Blue and his discarded meds.</p><p>When he goes to sleep that night, he dreams of fairy lights and bike rides through the square.</p><hr/><p>Ash stares at the clock like it’s a ticking time bomb. Each movement of its hands is one step closer to his funeral, and he wonders if the whole class can hear his erratic heartbeat. He spies Sing’s leg jiggling nervously under his desk. He looks a little pale. Shorter, on the other hand, is busy making paper planes out of their science notes, not at all worried about the fate that awaits them once the day ends.</p><p>(A lecture about how he should be treating this class more seriously is at the tip of Ash’s tongue, but he swallows it down. Shorter will probably annoy him into letting him copy his notes anyway, just like he has always done in all the years he’s known him.)</p><p>Ash wishes he can be as unbothered as his best friend. He’s been a nervous wreck since this morning. Man, he should’ve skipped class today and, he doesn’t know, said his last farewell to Griffin or something. He regrets not going to Eiji’s last night—maybe he could have given him a token to remember him by.</p><p>Now he finds himself touching his cheek, at the spot where Eiji has kissed him. The memory brings a dopey smile to his face, but he doesn’t care. If he dies today at least it’s with the knowledge that Eiji finds him cute (which he never explicitly said, but Ash was sure that’s what the kiss meant and you cannot convince him otherwise.)</p><p>The bell rings, a shrill sound that makes everyone jump. Ash grips the straps of his backpack until his knuckles turn white and waits for Shorter and Sing by the door. His classmates file out in a hurry, jostling him, but he pays them no mind. He can feel his blood ins his ears, so everything seems to be muffled.</p><p>He feels, rather than sees, Shorter and Sing step up on either side of him. They scuff their shoes on the floor, waiting.</p><p>“You ready to get your asses kicked?” Shorter asks, a little too cheerfully for Ash’s tastes.</p><p>“We’re about to die,” he deadpans as they walk through the hallways.</p><p>Shorter snorts. “Don’t be so dramatic. Arthur’ll probably just give us a black eye, that’s all.”</p><p>“<em>That’s</em> <em>all</em>?” Ash repeats. “Are you crazy? He’s going to break every single bone in our bodies, believe me.”</p><p>“Gee, Ash, if we knew you’d be this scared, we shouldn’t have let you and Eiji come with us,” says Sing.</p><p>“You’re one to talk,” Ash tells him. “Your knees are shaking, dumbass.”</p><p>Sing sputters. “I’m just cold, ‘s all.”</p><p>“Liar!”</p><p>“Am not!”</p><p>“Is too!”</p><p>“Jesus,” says Shorter as he watches them bicker. He pushes the doors open and they step out into the cold afternoon air. “Look—if Arthur comes after you, then just hit him back. Plain and simple.”</p><p>Ash wishes it’s that easy. He doesn’t know how to fight, unlike Shorter who can hold his own. The last time Ash faced off with someone was in fourth grade, where he ended up with an ugly cast wrapped around his leg. It couldn’t even be called a fight: no punches were thrown because Ash slipped just as he launched himself at the other guy—who promptly forgot that they’re supposed to beat each other up and instead carried him to the infirmary. It was freakin’ embarrassing. Ash stayed home for days, wallowing in humiliation, and it took Griffin threatening to donate his comic books to Mrs. Palmer’s church drive for Ash to finally haul his ass out of bed.</p><p>Sing looks around the now practically empty yard. “Maybe…Arthur isn’t going to do anything.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Ash says half-heartedly. They both know it’s wishful thinking; there’s no way that guy would pass up an opportunity for a good beating.</p><p>Shorter takes pity on them. “Hey. If he comes after us, just run, okay? I’ll handle it from there.”</p><p>“What?” says Ash. Shorter is cool and all, but he can’t possibly take on Arthur and his two flunkies at the same time.</p><p>Shorter shrugs. “It’s my plan to prank him anyway. You did your part, so now I’m just gonna—I dunno—take the fall or some shit. Is that how you say it?”</p><p>“Shorter,” Sing says seriously as he puts a hand to his shoulder. “You are the best guy I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“What the hell,” Ash grumbles, weirdly offended by Sing’s pronouncement. He shakes his head. “Shorter, no. You—you can’t do that.”</p><p>“I think I can take a few punches,” says Shorter, cracking his knuckles. “Besides, I’m the only one here who has a decent chance against him anyway.”</p><p>Ash is touched by Shorter’s words, but at the same time he feels like a total loser. How many times has Shorter protected Sing and him? Too many to count, really. Even before his sudden physical change Shorter’s already fighting for the three of them, as if urged by some unbreakable vow. He’s always been a no-nonsense type of guy, loyal to fault, even if it mostly results in a few bruises on his end.</p><p>Oh, dammit. Screw being honorable and fourth grade embarrassments. This is the last year of Middle School and Ash will be damned if his last few memories of it will be Shorter getting his ass kicked for them while he runs with his tail between his legs.</p><p>“You know what? I’m tired of this,” Ash declares, and he's surprised to find how true that is. “If Arthur plans to beat us up, then fine, but if he expects me to just lie there and take it, then he’s got another think coming.”</p><p>Sing’s eyes widen.</p><p>Ash turns to his friends. “Look, remember when we thought vampires or some crazy cult was there at Eiji’s place? We went there like a bunch of awesome vampire slayers. Like, we weren’t afraid at all. So why are we so scared of Arthur anyway?”</p><p>“Holy shit,” says Shorter, nudging Sing with his elbow. “He’s finally growing some balls.”</p><p>“I ask myself—I ask: what would Han Solo do? He’d fight. He’d fight and be really cool about it. The X-Men, too. Or Fantastic Four. Yeah, we can be like that, right?” continues Ash. “I don’t care if I get a black eye. Or a broken rib. This is not fourth grade and I will make sure to throw in a good one, dammit.”</p><p>“This is the weirdest pep talk I’ve ever heard, but I am <em>feeling</em> it,” says Shorter. He dances a little to emphasize his point.</p><p>“Shorter, stop that for Chrissake,” says Sing as Shorter grooves to imaginary music. He gazes at Ash. “Your speech sucks.”</p><p>“Sure,” says Ash, nonchalantly. “But it did get me pumped up. I feel like I have the strength to make a last stand.”</p><p>“Please don’t call it that,” says Sing.</p><p>He grins at him. “Come on, Sing. Let’s enter high school as kings.”</p><p>Ash awkwardly dances with Shorter to show solidarity. It’s silly, but he thinks this is the much needed push that his friend needs.</p><p>“Yeah, alright,” says Sing, grinning back. He throws his fist in the air. “To being kings!”</p><p>“Yeah!” they chorus.</p><p>“To high school!”</p><p>“Yeah!”</p><p>“To Sing’s height!”</p><p>“Yeah! What—”</p><p>“Hey weirdos,” the all too familiar voice calls them. “What the hell are you doing?”</p><p>Arthur. He stands at the foot of the steps, his friends Wookie and Dick (seriously, what a name. Ash snorts just thinking about it) flanking him on both sides. They look like mountain trolls.</p><p>Before anyone can react, Ash throws his backpack straight at Arthur’s face and flies down the steps. He falls over Wookie and they both hit the concrete with a thud. He feels the wind get knocked out of him a little.</p><p>“Jesus Christ!” he hears Shorter yell. “When you said you’ll fight I didn’t think you’d be charging in without thinking!”</p><p>Truth is, Ash only did it because if he tarried in indecision any longer he’s pretty sure he’ll lose all his earlier bravado, and he can’t have that.</p><p>Arthur laughs maniacally. “Good one, Callenreese! I’ll have fun beating the crap out of you!”</p><p>He pulls on the back of Ash’s jacket, choking him, trying to get him off Wookie. Shorter immediately holds Arthur in a headlock, and after cursing the heavens Sing joins in. Dick, not wanting to be left out of the brawl, slams right into Sing’s small body, and they roll around next to Ash and Wookie on the asphalt. Soon enough the six of them are a tangled mess.</p><p>The students waiting for their ride home all converge on the front of the school. They circle around them, chanting <em>Fight! Fight! Fight!</em> and honestly Ash feels kinda awesome. This is a movie scene and he’s showing up at Eiji’s tonight to tell him all about how he fought off three guys at once and won—</p><p>Or not.</p><p>Wookie socks him right between the eyes and Ash sees stars. He hits back and feels oddly proud when he manages to split his knuckles onto Wookie’s teeth. Unfortunately, his sense of victory doesn’t last long, because Arthur manages to escape from Shorter’s hold and yanks Ash to his feet.</p><p>Sing is still struggling with Dick. He doesn’t look so good: his clothes are all ragged and his right cheek is suspiciously swollen. Ash doesn’t have much time to worry about him, though, as Arthur shoves him to the ground and starts pouncing on him. Shorter tries to help him, but Wookie manages to cling to his waist to keep him in place.</p><p>“I have to hand it to you, Callenreese. You didn’t chicken out this time,” he taunts as Ash tries to push him off.</p><p>Ash spits on his face. It’s oddly satisfying, and he must admit it makes him look like a badass.</p><p>“Who’s that with you the other night, huh?” asks Arthur, wiping it off. He fists his hands around Ash’s collar. “That damn girl who threw an egg at me—”</p><p>“Hah!” says Ash, grinning wickedly at the memory of Arthur’s soiled pajamas. “Serves you right!”</p><p>Arthur shuts him up by rattling him until he’s sure his insides are all jumbled. Ash wants to throw up.</p><p>“Tell me!” he demands. “Is she from a lower grade? Another school?”</p><p>“The hell you wanna know about hi—<em>her</em>?” says Ash, catching himself at the last second. “You’re gonna beat up a girl? That’s low, even for you.”</p><p>Arthur smirks. “Who said I was gonna beat her? Why, my eyes might’ve been covered in egg yolk, but I’m not blind. She’s real pretty. Bet I can teach her a thing or two—”</p><p>Ash throws all caution to the wind after that. Maybe he should have practiced more self-control, because honestly? Being clocked isn’t a good experience.</p><hr/><p>Eiji sits by the window, looking out into the garden outside. The house is still, <em>too still</em> if you ask him, the only sound breaking the silence being the needle threading through Alice’s embroidery circle. She has settled herself on a rocking chair at the corner of Eiji’s room. This is one of her agendas, apparently: replacing tea time with Yut Lung into a grandmother and grandchild affair. Eiji doesn’t know what she thinks will come out of this; Eiji barely spoke to her aside from a few assents and brief replies.</p><p>She hasn’t alluded to any of Eiji’s recent activities again. For all Eiji knows, her words from before might have been nothing. Just empty musings and pure coincidence. After all, even if Alice seems strange, there’s no way she can really read Eiji’s thoughts, right?</p><p>“Are you wondering how I knew about your friend?”</p><p>Eiji spoke too soon.</p><p>Alice puts the needle and circle down. “Don’t worry, Eiji. I’m not mad. Neither is your father.” Eiji raises an eyebrow in disbelief. “Alright, perhaps that isn’t entirely true. He’s disappointed that you’ve hidden things from him and is afraid that boy’s leading you astray. But oh well—that’s just how fathers are. You understand, don’t you?”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t respond. Ash has said something along the same lines back when they were at the fair, but Eiji still doesn’t get this whole concept between fathers and close friends. Why everyone seems to think that his dad will automatically hate Ash is beyond him. He loves his father and he thinks Ash is great; Eiji will be really happy if they are on good terms.</p><p>“What’s his name?” she asks gently.</p><p>He pulls his knees to his chest and mumbles, “Ash.”</p><p>“I see,” she says. Alice eyes him carefully before sighing. “What’s he like?”</p><p>Eiji shrugs, hesitant to say any more details. “He’s alright. He lets me read his comic books.”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>Eiji shrugs again.</p><p>“Okay, fine. If you want to know how I found out, it’s because I saw him sneaking around the back when I got here the other night.” She smiles in amusement. “He was also spying through your window the night of the party, when I first met you.”</p><p>Oh. That actually makes a lot of sense; at least it’s more plausible than mind reading. Eiji shakes his head, thinking about Ash’s carelessness.</p><p>“How your father didn’t notice that you’re talking to some boy every night, I have no idea. Well, I kind of do. He’s an oaf is what he is.” She clicks her tongue. “I don’t think your friend’s been smart. I can see his green eyes peeking through your window that night. Very reminiscent of what he’s doing right now, really.”</p><p>“What?” says Eiji, confused.</p><p>He turns his head around and finds Ash’s face pressed up against the window. Eiji stares at him incredulously. What is he doing here? He doesn’t come this early. It’s not even past five in the afternoon yet. Eiji blinks, trying to process the entire thing. Talk about being caught red-handed. Alice looks at him, expectant, then gestures towards Ash.</p><p>“Aren’t you going to let him in?” she says.</p><p>In a dream, Eiji pulls up the glass that separates them. He’s about to tell Ash to come back some other time when he sees it, the blue and purple bruises dotting Ash’s arms and face, the busted lip, the dirt and snow clinging to his hair. The words die in Eiji’s throat. Ash gives him a crooked smile and manages to wheeze out a hello.</p><p>He immediately lets him in, forgetting all about Alice for the moment.</p><p>“What happened?” Eiji says as he hovers around Ash’s hunched figure, afraid to touch him in case it only hurts him further. “What—”</p><p>“It was really cool,” Ash tells him. “I really showed him, Eiji.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“Arthur. I went all Rambo on him.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I lived. Hah. Even defended your honor and all.”</p><p>“Ash, you’re not making any sense.”</p><p>“Eiji,” says Alice. She kneels before Ash. “Go fetch Yut Lung.”</p><p>“Why? What’s wrong?” he asks, terrified. “Is he going to die?”</p><p>“No, dear. He’s going to be fine, we just need to take care of his injuries,” she tells him. “Go along now.”</p><p>He’s reluctant to leave Ash, but he does what he’s told. Eiji rushes downstairs, yelling Yut Lung’s name, his voice echoing in the halls. His caregiver pops his head out of the study.</p><p>“Yue!” says Eiji, pulling him by the arm. Yut Lung lets Eiji lead him, although he looks confused. “You have to come with me.”</p><p>When they arrive at his bedroom, Alice says, “Yut Lung, help me patch him up.”</p><p>Yut Lung doesn’t even ask for details, just goes into action right away. They lay Ash on the bed, then set off in a flurry of activity. Eiji hugs the bedpost as he watches Yut Lung and Alice minister to Ash. They maneuver around each other with a sense of familiarity and ease, so much so that Eiii begins to wonder about how long they’ve known each other and how many times they’ve done this.</p><p>Ash hisses when Yut Lung touches his cheek. It almost looks like he’s going to say something to say about it, but then he gives up and sinks back into the pillows.</p><p>“<em>If only</em> we can take away the pain,” says Alice wistfully.</p><p>Yut Lung frowns at her. “If only.”</p><p>“Of course, the bruises will still be there, because there’s no way it will vanish overnight. The pain, however…”</p><p>She leaves the sentence hanging. Yut Lung’s face is unreadable.</p><p>Her comment makes Eiji’s hope waver again. “Is he going to die?”</p><p>Alice chuckles. “No. Gods, no. He’s going to be alright, little bird. There’s no need to worry.”</p><p>Ash gives him a thumbs up in favor of this.</p><p>“Is there anyone I could call for you?” Alice asks Ash. “Your family, maybe? I’m sure they’ll want to know what happened.”</p><p>“No!” Ash shakes his head vehemently and looks like he immediately regrets it. He clutches at the sides of his head. “The reason why I came here was because I didn’t want Griff to see me like this. If he finds out that I got in trouble, I’d be in deep shit.” His eyes widen. “Sorry! I meant crap—I’m going to be in deep crap.”</p><p>Alice looks like she can care less about his swearing. “He has the right to know about your condition. He must be worried about you. You should be at home by now, right?”</p><p>Ash looks down. He moves to clasp his hands on his lap, wincing at the movement. Eiji takes in his disheveled state, and his heart goes out to him.</p><p>He tugs on his grandmother’s sleeve. “Alice, just leave him alone, please? He’s really hurt. We can call his brother some other time.”</p><p>“Preferably when I’m all covered up?” suggests Ash. Alice quirks an eyebrow. “I’m not trying to be demanding or anything, uh, Eiji’s…”</p><p>“Grandmother,” she informs him.</p><p>He is shocked. “Really? Wow.”</p><p>“Charming,” Alice says dryly. She places a hand on Eiji’s hair. “Fine. I suppose you can stay for dinner. I want to get to know you anyway, since Eiji seems reluctant to share anything about you.”</p><p>Eiji puffs his cheeks out. Alice only grins at him, though, and asks Yut Lung to find some clothes for Ash to wear. The ones he has on now is all grimy. Ash stares at his discarded bomber jacket in sorrow.</p><p>“Your father will be home soon,” Alice announces. Ash stiffens at that. “We should probably tell him that we have a guest. I don’t think the poor man will be able to handle it if he suddenly sees your friend sitting at the dining table.”</p><p>A knot forms on Eiji’s stomach at the prospect of letting his dad know about Ash and everything he’s been up to in the past few months. He plays with the hem of his night shirt, his aversion to calling Griffin to get him to fetch Ash suddenly gone.</p><p>“Alice,” he says. “I don’t think this is a good idea. You already said dad doesn’t like him—”</p><p>“Your dad doesn’t like me?” Ash interrupts loudly. He throws his hands up dramatically. “I knew it. Oh no, it’s happening…” He stares at the ceiling. “I look awful right now! What a bad first impression.”</p><p>Eiji makes a mental note to address that later. “Alice, please, he’ll ban him from seeing me again.”</p><p>Alice shushes him. “It’s going to be alright, Eiji. I already talked to your father, remember? He’s not going to do that, I promise, and if he does then I’ll talk to him again.”</p><p>He bites his lips, turning her words over. Ash is still lamenting over his poor state, but his voice sounds faraway.</p><p>“You’ll do that?” says Eiji hopefully, looking up at Alice.</p><p>“Of course,” she replies. “I told you I’m here to help you, didn’t I?”</p><p>She did. Eiji peers at her brown eyes, very much like his, and decides that if Alice has any ill-intent she would have turned Ash away the moment he showed up. As it stands, she’s the reason why he’s all taken care of and the only guarantee that his father won’t get angry at them at dinner later. She’s always had a hold on him, so maybe it’s true that she’ll be able to talk him out of anything. Eiji marvels at such power.</p><p>“Hey,” says Alice, wrapping an arm around Eiji’s shoulder and pressing him to her side. “Have a little faith in your grandmother.”</p><p>Eiji relaxes. Alice is different—she wants him to have some freedom, which is already a nice contrast to his father. He treated her presence as something dreadful, but maybe he’s wrong. Eiji didn’t grow up with a mother, so he doesn’t know how a relationship between her and her child works, but it must be something like this, trusting and caring. Perhaps his initial distaste for Alice stems from his own lack of understanding about how relationships work.</p><p>Eiji feels ashamed of how he acted towards her now.</p><p>“Okay,” he concedes. “Thank you, Alice.”</p><p>She pokes his nose. “Any time, dear. Just remember: I’m on your side.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm sorry for the delay in updates. It's been a busy week.</p><p>Thank you for waiting and Happy Valentine's Day to you, my dear readers!</p><p>Follow me on social media:</p><p>Tumblr: marinanorth1</p><p>Twitter: @Marina_North1</p><p>I actually drew a fanart of Ash and it's on Twitter, if you want to check it out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Episode 8: Lull</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ash knows Eiji’s family is rich. If them living in the most expensive house in town isn’t proof enough, then all those piano lessons and flower deliveries definitely are. According to Miss Emily, the neighborhood gossip, Mr. Okumura looked at East Cottage’s wrought-iron gates, nodded, then promptly wrote a check for its purchase right there on the sidewalk. The real estate agent got enough commission to last until retirement, Miss Emily said, and the things they moved into the house—she’s never seen such antique furniture before!</p><p>Miss Emily and Ash aren’t the only ones who are aware of the family’s more than lavish lifestyle. Everybody in Oaks Town is familiar with the family’s black BMW sedan because Mr. Okumura drives it downtown every time he visits the tailor. Why the man needs a new suit every single month is a mystery, but old Mr. Romano says he can’t give two shits about where Mr. Okumura wears his creations so long as he continues to single-handedly keep his shop afloat.</p><p>Unfortunately, all the wealth and secrecy attracts unwanted attention. Ash has heard a lot of rumors about them, mainly from the wives that frequently visit their flower shop (Ash will never understand what it is about girls and going everywhere in groups), rumors that range from innocent to the bizarre. Ash has no idea why his friends used to give him a hard time for being curious about the Okumuras when all he’s doing is mimic the whole town.</p><p>The point is, Ash knows the Okumuras are stupid rich and strange. They put up paintings on their walls and have trimmed hedges, so really, he shouldn’t even be surprised by their current setup. If anything, he should have expected it.</p><p>Ash shifts in his seat, eyes staring determinedly at the array of utensils arranged before him. He feels like he’s in a fancy restaurant instead of Eiji’s dining room, and as if trying to decipher which one of these forks he should use to eat his food isn’t daunting enough, Mr. Okumura is sitting right across from him. Ash thought he’ll be at the head of the table, being the man of the house and all that, but nope—Alice is snug at her chair like a queen serving court.</p><p>The grandness of the house and its inhabitants makes Ash feel underdressed. He’s wearing an old sweater of Yut Lung’s and some rolled up pants, a stark contrast to Eiji’s nightshirt and cotton sandals, and yet he can’t help but feel like the odd one out. He thinks they should have given him a suit instead; if he wore one maybe Mr. Okumura won’t be glaring daggers at him like he’s doing right now.</p><p>Ash wants to break the silence, preferably by complimenting the food (he knows that’s a sure way to get brownie points) but he hasn’t taken a bite yet because he still can’t figure out what to use. He’s been sitting there like an idiot <em>and</em> he’s starving, but still he refuses to ask Eiji for help; his pride simply won’t allow it.</p><p>“Is there a problem, Ash?” Alice asks, raising an eyebrow at the brown butter cod on his plate that remains untouched. “Don’t you like the food? We can serve something else, if you want.”</p><p>“It’s alright, Miss Alice. My jaw hurts, so it’s kinda hard to chew is all,” he replies. He needs an excuse so he can have time to choose among these damn knives and forks.</p><p>“I see,” she says, observing the bruise on his cheek. “We should probably tend to that again before you go home.”</p><p>Ash nods then goes back to staring at the silverware. Seriously, why are there so many? Doing the dishes when there’s a party here must be a nightmare. He groans in frustration. He can’t believe he managed to face his fears and finally fight Arthur only to be defeated by his lack of knowledge with table setting.</p><p>He’s just about to swallow his pride and resort to a game of eenie-meenie-miney-moe when Eiji, who’s sitting beside him, knocks his napkin over. Ash watches as he excuses himself before bending down to pick it up. Face hidden by his long hair, Eiji whispers in the space between them: “The leftmost fork and the middle knife.”</p><p>Ash blinks at him. In one fluid motion Eiji snatches the napkin off the floor, arranges it on his lap, then picks out a baked potato from the platter. He eats calmly, legs swinging lightly under the table, ignoring Ash’s confused stare. Ash snaps himself out of it just enough to nudge his ankle as thanks. The corners of Eiji’s lips turn up a little, but he hides it by taking a drink.</p><p>Mr. Okumura narrows his eyes at them.</p><p>Problem now solved, Ash confidently picks up the aforementioned utensils and digs in. He must admit that the cooking is superb; the meal is <em>almost</em> as good as Nadia’s.</p><p>“This is amazing, Miss Alice,” says Ash. He gives her a brilliant smile, the one that he graces the camera with every time he wins another academic trophy.</p><p>“Thank you, dear. Yut Lung made it, actually,” Alice tells him. “He’s a really good cook.”</p><p>Ash says, “My friend’s sister, she owns a restaurant. Name’s Chang Dai. They make the best dumplings in the entire state—no, the entire world.”</p><p>Alice chuckles at his pronouncement. “Well then, I must try them.”</p><p>“You definitely should,” says Ash, puffing his chest out. Eiji’s eyes are wide with new knowledge about the town and its people. “And their noodles are, like, very famous here. There’s not a day when the restaurant’s not full of costumers.”</p><p>Alice smiles at his enthusiasm. Mr. Okumura mumbles something, but it’s too low for Ash to hear.</p><p>An idea suddenly hits him. “It’s only a few streets down from here, actually. I can take Eiji there next weekend. He can get those dumplings for you.”</p><p>Eiji turns to his grandmother excitedly. “Oh, I’d like that. Can I go, Alice? Please let me—"</p><p>“<em>Absolutely not</em>.”</p><p>Mr. Okumura has spoken. He squares his shoulders, looking at Ash over his wire-rimmed glasses. If he’s trying to intimidate him then he’s doing a poor job at it because at the moment all Ash can think about is how right Shorter was when he said that Mr. Okumura looks like a stick is permanently shoved up his butt; his posture is so ramrod straight he might as well be a statue.</p><p>“Why not?” asks Eiji.</p><p>“Sweetheart,” his father says gently. “It’s too dangerous for you to go outside, especially now with all the snow. You need to rest.”</p><p>“I can take care of myself,” he says, stubborn. “Besides, I’ve been feeling really well lately. Ash and I went to the Christmas Fair last week and nothing happened.”</p><p>“And thank the gods for that,” says Mr. Okumura. “That was very reckless, Eiji. <em>Very</em>, very reckless. We had a deal: I take you outside when you’re better.”</p><p>“I know. But it’s true, dad, I don’t feel sick anymore—"</p><p>“I told you not to go, but you still did. What—” he lets out a rattling breath— “what if you had collapsed, huh? What if someone took you? Did you ever think about how that would make me feel?”</p><p>Eiji crosses his arms and looks away, ashamed.</p><p>“Aw, don’t worry, sir. He was with me the entire time,” Ash says soothingly. “And he’ll be safe in Chang Dai, I promise.”</p><p>Mr. Okumura points a bony finger at him. “You stay out of this, boy. This is all your fault.”</p><p>Alice rolls her eyes. “Kenji, do you really have to?”</p><p>“Dad,” says Eiji, frowning, “don’t point. You said that’s not very polite.”</p><p>Mr. Okumura ignores them and tells Ash: “You’re the one who filled my son’s head with all this nonsense. You’re the reason why he’s been so disobedient.”</p><p>“Nonsense?”</p><p>“Exactly. Your tales about the record shops and the cinemas and all that phony and dangerous places.”</p><p>Ash grins at him. “There’s no danger at all, Mr. Okumura. Eiji had lots of fun when we went to the fair, and I made sure he’s all bundled up, too, so he can avoid getting sick—I lent him my parka.”</p><p>This doesn’t appease Mr. Okumura. If anything it only serves to annoy him even more.</p><p>“I had lemon tarts and hot chocolate and candy canes,” Eiji remembers fondly. “It was really great.” He claps excitedly. “Ash said he’ll show me the cliff at the edge of town—”</p><p>“When we’re older and I save enough for a car,” Ash clears up quickly, because there’s a visible vein that’s popping out of Mr. Okumura’s neck now.</p><p>“That’s very sweet of you,” says Alice, raising her glass to him.</p><p>"He also said we can dress up as Star Wars characters next Halloween. He’ll be Han Solo and I can be Princess Leia—" adds Eiji, but his father interrupts him.</p><p>“No. No more of this. No Halloween costumes, no clandestine meetings on a cliff,” he wheezes.</p><p>Eiji looks indignant. “It’s not clandestine if we’re telling you about it.”</p><p>Ash almost chokes on his food. Dear God, this feels like the egging all over again. Whenever Ash thinks he’s got Eiji all figured out, he does something like this that completely catches him off-guard.</p><p>Alice coughs once, but Ash is sure it’s to hide her laughter. “He has a point, Kenji.”</p><p>Mr. Okumura gapes at Eiji for a moment before going off on Ash again: “See what you did?”</p><p>Ash replies that he certainly does not, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.</p><p>“You’re a bad influence to my son.”</p><p>Ash likes to think that it’s the opposite. After all, he’s only been able to teach Eiji about comic books and Star Wars, which in his opinion is totally harmless but essential knowledge. He tells Mr. Okumura as much.</p><p>“Don’t sass me, boy.” Mr. Okumura looks disappointed. “Your folks may let you run wild, but I’m different.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ash asks sharply, the jovial mask he’s put on suddenly slipping.</p><p>“If your brother lets you run off without any regard for your safety, then that’s on him, but if you think for one second that I’ll let my son go wandering around with a mess like you then you’re wrong,” he spits.</p><p>“Be careful now,” Alice comments.</p><p>Ash scrapes his fork against the plate.</p><p>Here’s the thing:</p><p>He really doesn’t want to argue with Mr. Okumura if he can help it; he knows it’ll just make Eiji upset. Ash wants to take the high road and ignore his harsh words, but he’s had a rough day. It’s taking everything in him not to drop on the floor right now.</p><p>Another thing:</p><p>Ash isn’t really confrontational. When you’re best friends with Shorter, who seems to solve everything with his fists, and Sing, who likes to get on Ash’s nerves half the time, you learn a thing or two about patience and the importance of having a clear head. He rarely lets anything get to him, but if there’s one thing he can’t let slide, that’s any jabs against his brother. Griffin is the nicest person he knows, his personal hero, so no one gets to badmouth him in front of Ash and get away with it.</p><p>“My brother is the best and he raised me well and on his own, <em>sir</em>,” Ash says through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Your appearance right now says otherwise,” Mr. Okumura replies cheekily.</p><p>Ash grips the fork so hard he’s sure he bent it already. Peace is not an option anymore. How Eiji ended up with this jackass for a father, Ash really has no idea.</p><p>“He’ll be safe. <em>Hah</em>.” Mr. Okumura snorts like he can’t believe Ash has the audacity to say those words earlier. “Look at you. You can’t even go two feet without getting into trouble.”</p><p>“That’s unfair,” Eiji pipes up. “Those bullies did this to him, dad. He never started it.”</p><p>“You’re one to talk,” Ash scoffs, standing up. “You locked up your own son and shut him out from the world.”</p><p>Mr. Okumura mirrors him. “I only did that to protect him.”</p><p>“Right, 'cause you're such an A-class parent.”</p><p>Alice whistles low.</p><p>“You don’t understand. It’s what’s best for him.”</p><p>“—if you really want what’s best for him, you’ll give him freedom to actually enjoy things—”</p><p>“—excuse me? You’re just a child who thinks he knows everything—"</p><p>“<em>Enough</em>.” Eiji’a voice is just above a whisper, yet it manages to cut through all their yelling. Ash and Mr. Okumura immediately shut up. “No more fighting. Please. Now, both of you <em>will</em> sit and <em>then</em> apologize to each other.”</p><p>Ash falls back on his chair like all the energy’s been drained from his body. Mr. Okumura does the same. Eiji’s right—fighting is so silly. Ash should ask for forgiveness <em>right away</em>. His mind is practically begging him to do so.</p><p>“I’m sorry, sir,” he says, monotone.</p><p>Mr. Okumura’s eyes are glazed. “I apologize as well.”</p><p>They extend their hands and shake three times to reaffirm their truce. They pull back, pick up their utensils, then take a bite in perfect synchronization. Ash doesn’t even register what he’s doing until the rich taste of food fills his mouth.</p><p>Eiji looks taken aback by how quick they heeded his request, but nevertheless he beams at them. Ash is still fuming, but he <em>had</em> to ask and accept forgiveness from Mr. Okumura. There’s just a strong force that urged him to.</p><p>“Eiji, little bird,” says Alice. Ash tilts his head at her tone, because if he hasn’t known any better he’ll say that it almost sounds like she’s in shock.</p><p>“Yes?” Eiji says innocently.</p><p>“Since when…?” she says quietly. She studies Eiji’s face like she’s seeing him for the first time. “Never mind.”</p><p>“So can I go with Ash this weekend?” Eiji says carefully after a long stretch of silence.</p><p>Ash expects Mr. Okumura to lose his temper again, but all he does is huff.</p><p>“How about you two go there some other time?” Alice suggests. “See, your father was right. You did lie to him and go outside without his permission. So you stay put for a few weeks, Eiji, because you have to learn that actions have consequences. Then, once everything’s settled down, you can go out again. What do you say? Is that a deal?”</p><p>Eiji mulls it over for a few minutes before saying, “Okay.”</p><p>Alice sighs in relief. “Good. Yut Lung, fix me a cup of coffee, will you?”</p><p>Ash stares at his plate. Eiji swings his legs under the table again and Mr. Okumura continues to glare at Ash. Alice drums her fingers against the mahogany surface as she waits for her drink, and all the while Ash feels like they’ve just went back to how this whole affair started.</p><p>“Lovely dinner,” Alice says in false cheer. She prods at her food. “Ash, next time you visit, kindly use the front door.”</p>
<hr/><p>Life has, for better or worse, become routine.</p><p>Eiji still wakes up at an ungodly hour and takes his medication. He has breakfast with the family and mid-afternoon tea with Yut Lung, then talk with Alice as she does her embroidery. Sir Blanca has started coming to town again, so Eiji goes back to learning the piano, but now it’s under the watchful gaze of his entire family, and Ash too if he ever comes early enough to catch him playing.</p><p>Ash does as he’s been told; he’s stopped sneaking through Eiji’s bedroom window but now rings the doorbell every time he visits. Eiji will always watch from the top of the stairs as Yut Lung opens the doors and reprimands Ash for pressing the buzzer too much (“One is enough. I have ears, you know,” Yut Lung complains.) This sound is a sign for two things: the end of Eiji and Alice’s time together, and the start of his and Ash’s.</p><p>Their dynamic hasn’t changed much, except now instead of reading comic books on Eiji’s bed they have to do it on the floor or on his desk, and Eiji also has to keep his door open at all times—two new stupid rules that his father has implemented. Eiji doesn’t know what he’s so worried about. Whenever he checks in on them all he catches them doing is Ash using the hairbrush as a mic as he sings along to whatever record’s playing on the radio that he got last Christmas and Eiji trying to write down the lyrics on his tiny notebook. Sometimes he listens in for a few minutes whenever Ash reads to Eiji, just there leaning by the doorframe. His dad never sits when he comes over; he must think that he has a more imposing aura standing up.</p><p>It’s been months since the whole dinner fiasco. Back then, Eiji was so sure that Ash would never visit again out of anger towards his father, but in usual Ash fashion he took it all in stride and kept his promise to remain friends. Besides, after much evaluation, Ash has decided to view the entire thing in a different perspective.</p><p>“I think we needed that anyway,” Ash had told Eiji. “Just lay it all out there, you know. Clear the air and just be honest right from the get-go. It really made us connect with each other.”</p><p>“I see,” said Eiji, doubtful. “Are you sure about that?”</p><p>Ash smiled. “Yeah. Just between you and me, but I think he actually kind of likes me now.”</p><p>“You think my<em> dad</em> likes <em>you</em>. Right."</p><p>“There is mutual respect going on here, Eiji. I can feel it.”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t know how this ‘mutual respect’ Ash is referring to works, but from what he’s seen so far it entails Ash and his father greeting each other through grunts rather than actual words and making passive-aggressive remarks every time they’re on the same room. Sometimes, when they’re feeling <em>extra</em> respectful, they’ll try to one-up each other by pulling the dish on the table back and forth between them until Alice finally puts her foot down. Dinner always starts later than usual when they do that.</p><p>“Those two,” Alice had said during one of their afternoon talks, “are a pair of airheads. Don’t listen to either of them, Eiji. You’re too good for that.”</p><p>Eiji had nodded then. He doesn’t think Ash and his father are as foolish as Alice makes them out to be, but he still takes her words into account. After all, anyone who can control the people in this house must have good sense in them.</p><p>“Okay, little bird. How about you go ahead and stare hard at that candle?” she immediately followed, so Eiji looked at that unlit piece of wax for fifteen minutes before declaring that he’s bored out of his mind.</p><p>Alice had been giving him these strange little requests ever since that faithful night. One time she’d asked Eiji to transfer his music box from the desk to the wardrobe without using his hands, so Eiji grabbed the thing between his elbows, an action that was so unexpected on her part that it made her laugh for days on end. Another time she had made him guess what type of card she was hiding behind her back. He only got two correct answers out of thirty, but for some reason Alice looked very satisfied.</p><p>Eiji doesn’t think much of these games. He supposes it’s just one of her quirks, like his father’s obsession with suits or the way the tips of Ash’s ears turn red every time he’s embarrassed. Maybe she’s trying to find something fun to do with him, and the sentiment is so sweet that Eiji doesn’t have the heart to tell her that there’s nothing remotely fun about trying to telepathically convince the ants running up the wall to form a line. All he got from that were red spots on his hands for trying to arrange them manually.</p><p>Thank goodness that phase only lasted for a few weeks. After her attempt to make Eiji regrow the severed rosebud from its stem proved to be unsuccessful, he and Alice went back to usual: she’d sit on the rocking chair at the corner of his room and do her embroidery while Eiji watched her.</p><p>“Your grandma’s awesome,” Ash says. He’s currently lying on the floor, a pillow shoved under his head and a book resting on his stomach. Eiji has just told him all about that weird time with Alice. “It’s probably just an old people thing. You know how they have this idea that they have to try a lot of things with their family because they only have a few years left.”</p><p>“You mean she’s probably about to die?” he replies, terrified. That isn’t quite what he’s expecting.</p><p>“No, no—that’s not it. What I’m saying is, old people are just like that. That's just the way they think, nothing we can do about it,” he says. “Have you even seen Alice? She looks like she can still live for a hundred more years.”</p><p>Eiji bites his lip, still worried. He doesn’t want Alice to disappear; she’s helped Eiji so much since she’s gotten here. She’s been so kind and caring and she even lets him choose her outfits when she has to go out.</p><p>“Come on, I’ll read to you,” says Ash, patting the space next to him.</p><p>“What is it?” asks Eiji as he settles down. He squints at the cover. “<em>Around the World in Eighty Days</em>.” He wrinkles his nose. “Eighty days? Is that possible?”</p><p>“That’s what we’re going to find out,” says Ash, grinning. He opens the book and tilts it a little to the side so Eiji can see the words on the page. “<em>Mr. Phileas Fogg lived, in 1872, at Saville Row, Burlington Gardens, the house in which Sheridan…</em>”</p><p>Eiji tries to listen to the story, but his attention gets caught by something on Ash’s hand. Wordlessly he takes it on his own and brings it close to his face. Ash raises an eyebrow in question before he sees what Eiji’s looking at.</p><p>“Oh, that’s Sing’s doing,” he tells Eiji. He sets the book aside and holds his hand up to the light. Five little stars has been drawn on his skin in black ink. “He gave it to me after I reminded Miss Libby that we had to turn in our assignments today. He said it’s my reward for being such a high-class jerk.”</p><p>Eiji doesn’t get it.</p><p>“He’s mad because he hasn’t done his assignment yet. He had nothing to submit,” Ash explains patiently. “So basically he’s telling me that I ruined his life.”</p><p>Ash laughs. Eiji thinks there’s nothing funny about Sing’s predicament, but he doesn’t know anything about how school works so be can’t really say anything. Sing and Ash are strange anyway; they’re best friends but they act like they hate each other.</p><p>“Hmm,” says Ash, studying his hand. He turns to Eiji. “Have you ever taught about putting some glow in the dark stars in your room?”</p><p>“Glow in the what?” he asks, blinking.</p><p>“Glow in the dark stars,” Ash repeats. “We can stick some in the ceiling, and then when you turn the lights off it’ll look like the whole galaxy’s spread out before you.”</p><p>Eiji is in awe. “Really? Those kinds of things exist? The world is really awesome.”</p><p>“We can even arrange them into constellations,” Ash says excitedly. “Then I can tell you all about the myths surrounding them.”</p><p>“Again?” Eiji says good-naturedly.</p><p>Ash turns sideways so they’re face-to-face. “Yes, again. Do you think I’ll turn down an opportunity to ramble about Orion and Andromeda and Hercules? Never.”</p><p>Eiji smiles. “I think I’ll ask for those stars on my birthday. Maybe even throw in a book about Greek mythology.”</p><p>“It’s next month, right? In May?” Ash breathes. A lock of golden hair dangles over his forehead. “What’s it going to be like?”</p><p>“I don’t know, really,” Eiji answers. “Alice is planning it. She and dad are probably just going to invite a bunch of people that I don’t know.”</p><p>“You don’t sound thrilled about it,” Ash observes.</p><p>Eiji sighs. “I know it’s going to be great. Alice is very good at this kind of thing. It’s just that—I want it to feel like it’s <em>for me</em>. Not just an excuse for them to invite their colleagues and talk about whatever adults talk about.”</p><p>“I get your point,” Ash says. “No offense, but your grandma’s friends look really…weird. What’s with all the black?”</p><p>Eiji shrugs. “Alice says it’s a dress code.”</p><p>“Black for a birthday party,” Ash muses. “See, this is exactly why we thought you were vampires.”</p><p>“Do I look like I drink blood to you?” asks Eiji.</p><p>“Dunno. You look too pretty, so that makes you suspicious,” says Ash casually. He glances at Eiji. “Look. Knowing your family, it’s probably going to be something fancy. Nothing like a fourteenth birthday party at all.”</p><p>“Maybe I should ask them to bring over a circus. That would be fun,” Eiji says as he stares at the ceiling.</p><p>“Like your dad will allow something like that.”</p><p>“I can dream.”</p><p>“Hey,” Ash says softly. “I’m going to be there, so how about this: after they make you do some speech or something, let’s go hoard some food, lock ourselves in your room, stick those glow in the dark stars, then dance to whatever. We’ll have a party all on our own. What do you think?”</p><p>“I think that’s really lame,” Eiji replies. He laughs when Ash rolls over so his back is to him. “I was kidding!”</p><p>Ash doesn’t budge.</p><p>“Come on—I love it. I really do,” he says. “I think it’s really sweet.”</p><p>“Here I was trying to be nice and offering you a dance under the stars,” mumbles Ash. “And this is what I get.”</p><p>“Okay, I’m sorry,” Eiji says. He taps his shoulder. “Can you turn back around now?”</p><p>He grudgingly faces him again. “What do you want?”</p><p>“Nothing,” says Eiji, smiling. He takes his hand and rests it in the space between them. “Just thank you.”</p><p>Ash quirks an eyebrow. “You’re welcome, but that’s not how we say thanks.”</p><p>Eiji smiles wider. He checks the door, and when he sees that the coast is clear he gives Ash a quick kiss on the cheek. Ash laughs a little, just a puff of air really, then pulls him closer so he can bury his face in his hair. He says he likes the smell of Eiji’s shampoo—reminds him of the vanilla that his brother used to rub behind his ears when he was a kid.</p><p>“I’m going to ask for lots of glow in the dark stars,” Eiji tells him, voice muffled from Ash’s shoulder. “We’ll stick them all over the walls, too. That way it’s going to look like we’re in space, then all we’ll need is a spaceship.”</p><p>“Get one for your birthday,” Ash quips. “That’ll be so cool, dancing in space. We’ll be floating. Danny and Sandy will have nothing on us.”</p><p>“Who’re those?” asks Eiji.</p><p>“Just some people in a movie,” Ash replies. “Hey, what gift—”</p><p>There’s a creak in the staircase. They quickly jump away from each other, then with practiced ease arrange themselves in a more presentable manner. When his dad appears in the doorway, Eiji is lying on his stomach, head resting on his propped hand, listening as Ash obnoxiously reads <em>Around the World in Eighty Day</em>s again.</p><p>“<em>THE STEAMER MONGOLIA, BELONGING TO THE PENINSULA AND ORIENTAL COMPANY, BUILT OF IRON, OF TWO THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED TONS BURDEN, AND FIVE HUNDRED HORSE-POWER, WAS DUE ELEVEN</em>—"</p><p>Eiji tries not to laugh.</p><p>“Stop, that’s enough,” his dad orders. “You’re so noisy.”</p><p>Ash pretends to be startled. “Oh. Hello, sir. I didn’t see you there.”</p><p>His face turns a tinge of red. “Insolent, impudent, brazen—”</p><p>“Those are the same things," says Ash.</p><p>His father opens his mouth to retort but thinks better of it. “Dinner’s ready. Go downstairs, Eiji. I think Yut Lung needs help setting the table.”</p><p>He asks, “Can Ash stay?”</p><p>“Yes. Alice says he might as well join us since it’s pretty late,” he replies.</p><p>“Thank you,” says Eiji, giving him a small smile.</p><p>The two of them are just about to leave when his dad says, “Wait.”</p><p>They stop in their tracks. Eiji feels nervous all of a sudden. Did he see them earlier? He might have; leave it to his dad to let them think they’ve gotten away with it only to suddenly rub it in their faces right now. He’s just dramatic that way.</p><p>“What is it, dad?” he asks, tilting his head.</p><p>“Nothing. I was just going to tell Ash that we’re ordering flowers for your birthday,” his dad tells him.</p><p>He and Ash exchange looks.</p><p>“Oh. I see. Yeah, sure. I’ll tell Griff about it,” says Ash, shoving his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. Ash looks up at his dad. “What kind of flower was it again?”</p><p>“Chrysanthemums,” he replies, and it’s surprising how soft his tone is considering it’s Ash he’s talking to. “Make them all white.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had too mcuh fun writing that dinner scene, I'm not gonna lie.</p><p>Thank you for all the kudos, bookmarks, and comments. Love you and stay safe!</p><p>Follow me on social media:</p><p>Tumblr: marinanorth1</p><p>Twitter: @Marina_North1</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Announcement</h2></a>
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    <p>Hello! As you can see, this isn't an update. There wouldn't be an update until next week. Or the week after. I don't really know yet.</p><p>It's been almost two weeks since the last chapter, and I feel bad for making you all wait, which is why I decided to make this announcement. I've been struggling to write lately due to a variety of reasons.</p><p>I've been so busy with work that if I ever have any free time, all I can do is sleep. I want to carve out some time to write, but unfortunately even though I have the outline of this story already prepared, I'm often too exhausted to type in the rare occasion that I have extra time. Writing one chapter is hard work: I always obsess about it and take a lot of time to edit. As much as I want to write, work always comes first.</p><p>To be honest, my mental health hasn't been the best these past few days. I've put off sessions due to the pandemic, and honestly because I thought I would do well being cooped up at home—wrong judgment on my part, really. Luckily (or not. I'm not sure yet) the company I work in allows me to receive the medical help I need, and I've decided to take it. I think I've avoided these sessions long enough.</p><p>The bottom line is I feel bad for not being able to update on time, especially since there are those of you who comment on every chapter and others that have just found this fanfic but is already giving it so much love. You don't know how much I appreciate every comment or kudos left for this work, and that's why I think it's only right I tell you what's gonna happen to the fic.</p><p>Basically I posted this to assure all of you that there's still more to this story and there will be an update, just that I can't promise when. Fingers crossed I can do it before the month ends.</p><p>I hope you all have a lovely day. Stay safe, dear readers!</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Episode 9: Rose-colored Glasses</h2></a>
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    <p>There’s a jukebox at Chang Dai that has the most limited selection of songs that Ash has ever seen. It has some Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, some Aretha Franklins, but half are Tom Jones and honestly he doesn’t know why. Would it have hurt to add a few Beatles, maybe some Bruce Springsteen here and there? Shorter once said that he’d suggested to get rid of it and that the restaurant hire a live band instead, but his grandma quickly shut down the idea with a whack of her slipper to his head. The old thing has been there when the Wongs purchased the establishment, and they refuse to throw it away due to the belief that it’s the reason why the restaurant’s got such good luck.</p><p>Ash is cool with that. He respects the belief and all the other things that make grandma Wong sleep at night. He just wants the jukebox to expand its repertoire and have some songs he actually likes, because right now it’s blaring <em>Green, Green Grass of Home</em> and it’s seriously destroying the whole vibe he’s trying to set up with his not-so-date with Eiji.</p><p>Almost everything is in order: Chang Dai is practically empty save for a few old patrons who’re too busy trying not to fall asleep in the afternoon sun to pay him and Eiji any mind, Nadia has given them free dessert because she’s the best, and Ash has been given permission by Alice to keep Eiji out until seven tonight (he hasn’t bothered asking Mr. Okumura—Ash has long since realized that Alice’s decisions overrode everyone else’s at the Okumura household. If you get her approval then there’s nothing else you need. Her words are binding. Her words are <em>law.</em>)</p><p>So yeah, things are going quite well so far. Except for that damn song. Because right now Ash wants to tell Eiji just how pretty he looks with his hair all pulled up like that and away from his face, but he can’t do it because <em>Green, Green Grass of Home</em> just isn’t the song he wants playing in the background when he’s spouting some greasy lines.</p><p>Ash spies Shorter leaning on the counter. Earlier he’s been sending Ash some kissy faces and rude gestures when he’s sure Eiji isn’t looking, but now he’s just slumped over the glass like he can’t wait for Nadia to release him from his duties.</p><p>Ash catches Shorter’s eye and nods at the jukebox, hoping that his best friend will understand what he’s trying to say. For a moment it seems like he does, because he stands up and makes his way over to the machine, but instead of turning it off like Ash wants he only cranks up the volume.</p><p>Shorter gives Ash a proud grin afterwards. Ash buries his face in his hands.</p><p>“Eiji,” Ash says, making the other turn his attention to him. “Can you wait here a sec? I just have to talk to Shorter real quick.”</p><p>“Okay,” he replies, smiling. He’s prodding at the dumplings with his chopsticks.</p><p>Ash makes a beeline towards the counter.</p><p>“Hey man,” Shorter chirps when he comes close. He juts his chin out to where Eiji was. “How’s it going?”</p><p>“Fantastic,” Ash says sarcastically. He sighs. “Can you turn the jukebox off?”</p><p>Shorter looks confused. “I thought you liked it.”</p><p>“No, it’s ruining everything,” he replies. “Just please turn it off. Pull it out of the socket or whatever.”</p><p>“We got a demanding customer ‘ere, I see,” says Shorter with a fake Italian accent. What the purpose of that was, Ash has no idea, so he decides not to comment on it. Shorter switches back to his normal voice. “Look, I could do that, but some of the old folks here really like it. They might leave if I turn it off.”</p><p>“They’ve been sitting in their booths for hours and all they’ve ordered is tea!” Ash counters. “You’re not losing anything.”</p><p>“Customers are customers, sorry,” says Shorter. Ash mutters something about 'the perfect date', and Shorter’s eyes glint with sudden mischief. “Although…”</p><p>Ash sighs heavily. “Whatever it is, just spit it out.”</p><p>“I could do <em>something</em>, but it’ll come with a <em>price</em>,” Shorter answers.</p><p>“Three bucks,” Ash offers immediately.</p><p>Shorter is unmoved. “Ten.”</p><p>“I’m your best friend!”</p><p>“Eleven, then.”</p><p>“What? You’re mental. I don’t have that much money, you know.”</p><p>“You cheapskate. Fine. Seven.”</p><p>“Five. Take it or leave it.”</p><p>Shorter clicks his tongue. Ash waits impatiently for him to make his decision. He turns around and shoots Eiji a reassuring smile, just to make sure that he doesn’t stand up and demand what the hell is taking them so long.</p><p>Finally, Shorter shuts the jukebox down. Some men grumbled about the sudden silence, but Shorter only pats the machine and announces: “Oh man, looks like the poor thing finally gave up! Oh well, can’t do anything about it. Sorry, folks. This thing’s out of commission for today.”</p><p>The people mutter some complaints under their breaths for a few seconds, but eventually they go back to staring at their books or newspapers, cups of tea already gone cold. Some of them just straight up left, the ding of the bell above the door accounting for three customers gone all at once, like the song was a spell that kept them on their seats this whole time. Maybe grandma Wong is right; the jukebox is the reason Chang Dai never ran out of customers. Ash almost feels bad about what he’s just done, but when he imagines himself sitting in that booth again with Tom Jones bellowing in his ear, the guilt quickly melts away.</p><p>Shorter punches Ash subtly in the side before going back to the other side of the counter. Ash slides him the folded bills, feeling like they’ve just closed an illegal transaction or something.</p><p>“The music’s gone,” Eiji comments absently once Ash goes back to his seat.</p><p>“Jukebox broke,” Ash says, supporting whatever Shorter has said. “A real bummer, that.”</p><p>Eiji hums and pulls his ponytail tighter. It’s the first time Ash has seen him like this. Most of the time Eiji’s hair is done in some fancy braid, but today it’s just held up by a yellow scrunchie that matches his cardigan. The color accentuates his pale skin and makes his eyes pop. Ash likes this look on him; it’s so simple, so <em>carefree</em>, like Eiji isn’t some mysterious boy locked up in his room but rather just another kid in the neighborhood.</p><p>“You look like a sunflower,” Ash observes, chin propped on his hand.</p><p>Eiji beams at this. He cups his hands around his cheeks and declares: “I hope I make your day brighter, then!”</p><p>“I said sunflower, not the sun,” Ash says, chuckling, but truth is Eiji can very well be it. Ash thinks his smile is enough to clear any cloudy day. “And you already do, by the way.” When Eiji only tilts his head in question, he clarifies, “Make my day brighter, I mean.”</p><p>He swears he hears Shorter snicker.</p><p>“You make my day brighter too, Ash,” says Eiji, sincere. He goes back to eating more dumplings, happy and content, but Ash isn’t done yet.</p><p>He’s out on a very important mission today, and that’s to turn their <em>not-so-dates</em> into <em>real dates</em>. Ash wants to make everything official, so that next time he’s over at Eiji’s they don’t have to worry about what his dad or Alice might think. If they put a name to whatever this is between them, then maybe they can breathe just a little bit easier. Hold hands without any qualms. Kiss each other whenever, wherever. Have Eiji come over at Ash’s house and maybe let Griff meet him properly. It will be totally rad.</p><p>It’s a fantasy that’s been playing around in Ash’s head for a few weeks now. They’ve been holding hands and giving each other kisses on the cheek when they think no one’s looking, but Eiji still refers to them as friends and it makes Ash’s heart sink a little every time. So he promised himself that he’ll do it: by the time Eiji’s birthday rolls around, Ash will have become his boyfriend (the word sends an unfamiliar feeling all over his body, something like a mix of embarrassment and giddiness, and honestly he kinda likes it.)</p><p>Ash has planned everything. If all goes well they’ll leave the restaurant as a couple and maybe Eiji’ll kiss him on the front porch after he walks him home, just like a scene from one of those rentals that Griff likes to watch and Ash pretends to hate. He’s brushed his teeth twice this morning just to prepare for that exact scenario. He doesn’t want Eiji to think that he's not taking this <em>very seriously</em>.</p><p>He clears his throat. “Hey, Eiji. I want to talk to you about something.”</p><p>Eiji blinks at him.</p><p>“So, um, I was thinking a lot about us lately.” He gestures between them. “And I realized some really important things.”</p><p>“Yeah?” says Eiji distractedly. He’s busy poking the pudding Nadia has served them with a spoon.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ash confirms. He smiles a little. “And I thought, it’s really nice, you know? This—this thing we have. And I really like you.”</p><p>Eiji looks up from the pudding. “I really like you too.”</p><p>He scratches the back of his neck. “Great. That’s great. We both like each other a lot, so I thought maybe, you know, you’d like to be my—my…”</p><p>Gods, why can’t he say it?</p><p>“Friend?”</p><p>“No. More than that.”</p><p>“Best friend?” Eiji guesses. He frowns as a sudden thought struck him. “Can you have <em>three</em> best friends?”</p><p>“Sure you can,” Ash replies quickly. He waves a hand. “But that’s not what I’m asking you.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Eiji innocently.</p><p><em>Come on, Eiji, take a hint!</em> he thinks.</p><p>He regrets shutting down the Jukebox now. Maybe Ash should have played some cheesy track to help get his point across.</p><p>Dammit, why is it so hard anyway? He’s been hanging out with Eiji for months, just the two of them, and he’s never been shy to throw a compliment here and there, so why is he getting all tongue-tied now? Maybe it’s the nerves; after all, it’s not every day that Ash asks someone out. Perhaps it’s just luck—he always seem to get the short end of the stick in everything lately, after all. He has a working theory that the universe is out to get him, one way or another.</p><p>Shorter whistles obnoxiously as he sweeps the floors and pretends not to listen in on them, further proving Ash’s suspicions.</p><p>“Ash?” Eiji peers at him in concern. “Are you okay? You seem lost just now.”</p><p>“Sorry. Just—I’m trying to work up to something,” he says lamely.</p><p>Eiji looks out the window, contemplative. “The sun’s about to set. D’you think you can take me to the park?”</p><p>He doesn’t offer Ash his hand, but he might as well have.</p><p>The park. Of course. He can ask Eiji at the park. There it’s quiet, it’s picturesque, and there’s no best friends watching you flounder on your confession.</p><p>“Sure, let’s go,” Ash replies finally. He stands up and pulls his hoodie on, which signals Shorter that they’re about to leave. He immediately zooms over to their table.</p><p>“Yo,” he greets, leaning on the broom handle. “You’re going already?”</p><p>“I’m taking Eiji to the park,” he answers, jabbing a thumb at said boy.</p><p>“Can I use the bathroom first?” Eiji says as she shuffles his feet.</p><p>“Sure,” Shorter replies. “First door to the left. Should be easy to spot.”</p><p>He gives him a grateful smile before scurrying away.</p><p>“Hey, how much—” Ash starts once Eiji’s out of earshot, but he’s surprised when Shorter suddenly shoves him back to the booth and slides next to him. “Hey! What’s the big idea?”</p><p>“Look, Ash, this is the number to Chang Dai,” says Shorter. He writes it down on a napkin that he presses on Ash’s hand. “I’ll be here ‘til seven, so if you call then I’ll be sure to answer.”</p><p>“Okay?” Ash says uncertainly. “And what exactly am I supposed to do with this?”</p><p>Shorter sighs. “You can be real dense sometimes, you know that?”</p><p>When Ash only raises an eyebrow, he continues.</p><p>“Look man,” he says. “We may be cool about this whole thing with Eiji, but not everyone is.”</p><p>Ash scowls. “You think I don’t know that?”</p><p>“No, but I think you can be careless sometimes. Just listen to me. The only thing saving you from scrutiny is because Eiji looks like a girl and no one knows him. But if some people decide to take a closer look and find out that you’re a fa—” he bites his tongue to keep from saying the slur. Ash looks away. “Point is, I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and find out some asshole’s thrown you into the quarry.”</p><p>“Oh,” says Ash when the meaning of Shorter’s words dawn on him. “<em>Oh</em>.”</p><p>“Uh-huh. Exactly,” says Shorter. “So—so do me a favor and just take the goddamn number, okay?”</p><p>Ash doesn’t know who looks more uncomfortable between the two of them. Probably Shorter, because he’s doing that thing when he’s embarrassed where he runs a hand through his hair every five seconds.</p><p>He understands it now, the reason why Shorter’s been so adamant about Ash taking Eiji to Chang Dai when he told them about his plans. He probably made sure to be on shift today, too, just so he can make sure no one bothers them. Ash closes his fist around the napkin. He suddenly feels like there’s a lump in his throat, making it hard to breathe, and he thinks that maybe he’s about to cry. He doesn’t even know why; all Shorter is doing is looking out for him like he’s always done in the last nine years.</p><p>He’s heard stories, of course, both in the television and in the neighborhood mill. Ash knows what Shorter’s talking about, but has he thought about it? Not really. They’re fourteen, for God’s sake, and everything sounded like they’re happening somewhere outside their own little bubble, precautionary tales to warn boys like him to act accordingly. He’s been too consumed by the mysteries of Eiji’s family and this blooming thing between them that he’s been out of touch with reality lately.</p><p>But it’s there. It’s there and he’s forgotten about it, but apparently his friends have not.</p><p>Ash takes back everything he’s ever thought about the universe and its karmic forces—they’re not out to get Ash at all. As far as he’s concerned, they’ve blessed him.</p><p>“You know,” Ash says, breaking the silence. “You really should have talked to me in private. You have the worst timing.”</p><p>“Nah,” says Shorter, grinning. “I was trying to see if I can make you cry. Can’t miss the opportunity to embarrass you in front of Eiji now, can I?”</p><p>“I didn’t even know you knew the word scrutiny. Used it properly, too.”</p><p>“Back off.”</p><p>“Thank you, Shorter,” Ash says genuinely. He slips the napkin inside his jean pocket, and because he thinks he doesn’t say it enough, he adds, “You’re the best.”</p><p>“Damn right I am,” Shorter says, puffing his chest out. They stand up when they spot Eiji walking over to them. Shorter elbows him and whispers: “For chrissake, just ask him out. It’s so painful to watch you stammer like an idiot.”</p><p>Ash throws him a dirty look. “I will. I’m just waiting for the right moment.”</p><p>“You’re such a sap,” he counters. He turns around to face Eiji when he’s close enough. “Well, Eiji, I hope you have fun. Come by the restaurant again, okay? We’ll teach you how to make dumplings.”</p><p>Eiji looks hopeful. “Really?”</p><p>“Yeah. You’re so cute I’ll even let you know the Wong’s secret crimping technique,” Shorter says with a wink.</p><p>Eiji glances at him awkwardly.</p><p>“Alright, we’re going,” Ash intervenes. Jesus. He doesn’t know how Shorter does it, switching back and forth between his serious and cringe-inducing personas in the blink of an eye. The guy is a real conundrum. “See you tomorrow, Shorter.”</p><p>“Bye,” Eiji says quietly. “Tell Nadia the food was great.”</p><p>Shorter salutes him.</p><hr/><p>Eiji is sitting on the playground swing like he belongs there. Not that he doesn’t, since he lives in this town, but it’s so bizarre to see him in a place that’s been a huge part of Ash’s childhood when almost a year ago he doesn’t even know he exists. Now he’s spending most of his spare time holed up in Eiji’s bedroom, reading to him and dreaming about stars. Life is funny that way.</p><p>He thinks about all the afternoons spent spying on East Cottage and exchanging theories with Shorter and Sing about the Okumuras, and he feels a wave of shame wash over him. It can’t have been nice, being hounded by nosy little boys and having rolls of toilet paper thrown over your gates on Halloween. Ash wonders if Eiji ever resents him for that, resents the whole town for their unfair speculations about them, but he's too scared to ask.</p><p>“Is this where you reached seven feet?”</p><p>Ash jumps a little. “Huh?”</p><p>“This swing,” Eiji says. “You told me before that you reached your peak at seven feet and then launched yourself into the air.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Ash rattles the swing set’s chains. “It was really awesome—felt like I was flying for a second.”</p><p>He recalls it now, the way the air rushed through his face, his shirt billowing, the sounds of cheers and the sickening crunch of his ankle hitting the ground the wrong way. He wonders why he’s done that, back then. Was it to impress the playground kids? Or was there some bet he needed to fulfill? He can’t remember; all he knows is that he has flown that day, has taken the leap, and it hurt. It hurt but it was worth it, especially after he’d been deemed king of the park.</p><p>He’ll give anything to relive it again. Eiji swings his seat sideways and bumps into him, and Ash grins slightly at his childish attempts. Maybe he can, somehow.</p><p>“Shorter talked to me earlier,” he decides to say.</p><p>Eiji stretches his legs, burying his heels into the dirt a little. “What did he say?”</p><p>“He’s…” The faint sounds of laughter reaches his ears, and he watches a group of teens walking on the pathway, no doubt on their way to the cinema or the diners downtown. He observes the way they shove each other playfully, seemingly oblivious to the two of them on the swing.</p><p>Suddenly he’s at a loss for words. Again. He fiddles with the sleeves of his jacket, silently berating himself for his indecisiveness.</p><p>“Ash,” Eiji says suddenly.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Can I kiss you?”</p><p>He’s taken aback by the sudden request. “Like, right now?”</p><p>Eiji nods. Ash sees the group vanish around the curve just as the sun sets. Eiji waits for his response, and maybe he should be concerned about the strangeness of this whole situation or the stillness of the park around him, but instead he marvels at the way his image reflects on Eiji’s eyes. He likes his eyes—they’re like pools of chocolate with flecks of gold in them.</p><p>And really, that’s all there is to it, right? He likes Eiji, likes his eyes and his boyish wonder, likes the eccentric way he dresses himself and his obsession with lemon tarts. He likes him and he wants to be with him.</p><p>So he throws caution to the wind and says, “Okay.”</p><p>Eiji leans forward a little to reach him. He lets go of the swing and takes Ash’s hand in his as he gives him two chaste kisses, one on both cheeks, before leaning back and saying, “Your hands are cold.”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m a little nervous,” he admits.</p><p>“Didn’t it help? I thought if I kissed you it’ll help,” says Eiji, sounding devastated.</p><p>“It did,” he says, fond. Being clueless shouldn’t be this endearing. “I’m just really anxious today.”</p><p>“Is it because of what Shorter said?” Eiji says, turning over his hands slowly. He feels warm.</p><p>“Sort of,” he responds. “But no, not really. See, there’s something I want to ask you, and I psyched myself for it, but now I’m afraid I haven’t really thought it through, and so I keep pulling back and forth, just go and then not go, and I’m slightly getting—”</p><p>“Ash,” Eiji cuts him off. He clasps his hands firmly around his. “Slow down.” He tilts his head, ponytail swishing like a lasso, mesmerizing Ash for a moment. “Okay. What did you want to ask me?”</p><p>He frowns. “You’re not curious about anything else? About what Shorter and I talked about?”</p><p>Eiji shakes his head. “No. That’s between you two. But what you want to ask me, it must be very important if it has you all twisted like this.”</p><p>The street lamps flicker on, in time with the sounds cicadas. It must be close to six now, he doesn’t know, he hasn’t bothered to wear his watch today of all days. He laughs at that one error on his part—all that planning for the perfect date and he forgot his watch to keep schedule.</p><p>That’s when he realizes it, that no matter how much planning or research or reading he does he can’t really be prepared for everything. He’s just a kid, they both are, and people their age isn’t expected to handle things that are larger than life. They’re not equipped for that yet. He feels the weight of the napkin on his pocket and Shorter’s words, and he decides that there’s nothing to be afraid of, at least not yet. His best friend is right: they’re free right now because of the way Eiji is and looks, but Ash thinks that even if Eiji cuts his hair and starts putting on clothes like the ones Ash has, he still wants to take him to Chang Dai and confess to him.</p><p>But that’s for another time, he supposes. It’s not like they’ll be leaving the sanctuary of Eiji’s room anytime soon and he won’t be Oaks Town’s best kept secret anymore. People won’t be looking twice at them at the moment, and if they did he has Shorter and the others to help him through it.</p><p>So Ash casts away his doubts in a way that four-year-olds trying to prove themselves in a swing set only can, and tries, “Do you want to go out with me?”</p><p>Eiji looks around them in confusion. “Aren’t we outside already?”</p><p>His apparent social ineptitude doesn’t deter him, though. Ash offers him a soft smile and says, “I know. Sorry, let me rephrase that. Pretend I’m Cyclops right now.”</p><p>He’s at least familiar with the comic series. Eiji nods, though he still looks a little lost.</p><p>“You know how he really likes Jean Grey, right?” he says.</p><p>“You said they’re the perfect pair,” Eiji points out.</p><p>Ash snorts a little, but yeah, he did say that. “I think they really fit together. Don’t you think so?”</p><p>“I think they look good,” he agrees. “I really like Scott.” He giggles like he’s just remembered something funny. “So, I like <em>you.</em>”</p><p>“Alright. Then, do you want to be Jean Grey?”</p><p>For a moment Ash thinks that he doesn’t get it. He sucks in a deeo breath as he watches Eiji let go of his hands. Maybe he shouldn’t have done the whole comparing stuff and just laid it all out for him. Ash is just about to launch into a whole explanation about the word boyfriend and what the phrase “going out” means when Eiji suddenly flings himself onto him, the impact and the sudden added weight almost making him fall out of the swing.</p><p>“Hey,” he protests, though it’s nowhere near as reproaching as when he says it to his friends. “Watch it.”</p><p>“You’re a dweeb, just like Sing said,” Eiji says to his shoulder.</p><p>“He said that? When?” Ash is going to kick him next time they meet.</p><p>“Doesn’t matter,” Eiji replies. He’s still hugging him tightly, face buried in his neck, so Ash can’t see what expression he’s sporting right now. “Do you mean it?”</p><p>“Yeah. I do. I’ve been trying to find a way to ask you not to be just friends anymore, but I don’t know how,” he says. “That’s the best I can come up with.”</p><p>“Lame.”</p><p>“That’s mean.”</p><p>Eiji pulls away, but only for a fraction, so he can look at him. “Ash, what are we?”</p><p>“Nothing. We’re still the same, just Ash and Eiji. We won’t change a thing. But when your dad or Alice asks, you can tell them I’m your boyfriend now,” he tells him. He feels elated just by saying it. “We still hold hands and kiss, but, uh, it doesn’t have to be just on the cheek anymore.”</p><p>The tips of his ears turn red at that.</p><p>“I see,” says Eiji. “I guess we can do a proper kiss now.”</p><p>“Proper?” Ash asks.</p><p>“Yes. Like the ones in fairytales.”</p><p>He wants to tell him that those kisses don’t even look real. They’re just a quick peck, a ghost of a touch, and then voila, the princess wakes up and the frog turns to a prince. Ash thinks it’s all too easy and unrealistic. He doesn’t want to give Eiji a kiss like that; he wants to sweep him off his feet.</p><p>“Come on, I’ll walk you home,” he says, holding out his hand. Eiji takes it, and neither of them lets go as they make their way back.</p><p>The streets are quiet, but that doesn’t surprise Ash. The neighborhood always tend to turn in early. Nights are for dinners with the family and talking to friends on the telephone, so there’s not much life outside. Downtown is a whole different matter—there it’s all blinding lights and throngs of cool kids. He wants to take Eiji there one day.</p><p>“We should go to the movies some other time,” Ash muses.</p><p>“What will we watch?” Eiji says in excitement. He’s half-walking, half-skipping, and not for the first time Ash has to steady him as he slips on the pavement.</p><p>“Dunno. Depends on what’s playing, I guess,” he replies. “Maybe we can watch the next <em>Star Wars</em>. It’s coming out this month, I think. It’ll be my birthday gift to you.”</p><p>Eiji beams at him and says, “I’d like that.”</p><p>The street lights illuminate their path, but Ash can make his way around town even in the dark. He knows it like the back of his hand, and in the following days he'll make sure that Eiji does as well.</p><p>“Speaking of your birthday,” he says as they make their way up the small hill. East Cottage looms before them. “It’s next week. How many people will be there again?”</p><p>“A hundred, I think?” Eiji looks like he’s mentally going through the guest list. “I’m nor sure. They’re mostly all Alice’s friends. Same ones from the party before.”</p><p>“I should probably wear like a tux or something,” he says, squeezing his hand lightly. “Just so I look like I belong there.”</p><p>“But you do belong there,” Eiji says as he pushes the gate open and they go up the driveway.</p><p>Ash hums. They stop when they’re in front of the double oak doors, the single white light above them creating a halo around their heads. He glances at the windows of the living room, but the curtains are shut and there’s not a single soul in sight.</p><p>“Don’t be worried about the party,” Eiji says, peering at him. Their hands stay connected, hanging in the space between them. “They’ll ignore us anyway. We’ll just go to my room and stuff ourselves with food.”</p><p>“And sing along to the radio,” he adds.</p><p>“And sing along to the radio,” Eiji assures him. He glances at the door. “I should go. Dad’s probably worried by now.”</p><p>Despite what he’s said, he remains rooted to his spot. Ash exhales slowly. Eiji probably senses it too, how this moment is their best chance to close this night with something both of them won’t forget. Ash, strangely, doesn’t feel nervous. He’s ready for this, at least he thinks he is (he wishes he can check his breath one more time at least) so he just dives right into it.</p><p>Eiji closes his eyes when Ash bends down to kiss him. It’s hard to know if he’s got the right angle, so he tilts Eiji’s head a little to the side and then touches their lips—</p><p>Except Eiji smiles into it at the same time he does, and they honestly don’t know half of what they’re doing so they giggle and hold onto each other closer, but their teeth kinda knock together with a clang, and that’s what finally sets them apart.</p><p>They double over with laughter because they’re sure they just blundered their first kiss. Eiji’s face is red from what he assumes is a mix of embarrassment and euphoria, and he's sure he looks the same.</p><p>There goes sweeping Eiji off his feet.</p><p>“That was bad,” he says after they’ve quieted down.</p><p>Eiji shrugs. “It’s not the best.”</p><p>“It was—awful—just—” Ash gives up and shakes his head. “Sorry. That’s our first kiss and—”</p><p>“It’s fine,” says Eiji kindly. “Not everyone gets it right the first time, I think. Like playing the piano.”</p><p>Ash grins at him. “You’re right.” He pulls him back. “That’s exactly it. Practice makes perfect.”</p><p>Eiji slaps his arm but concedes, “Yes, practice makes perfect.”</p><p>They try one more time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is an Ash-centric chapter and I hope you liked it. This serves as a setup for Episode Ten, which is the next chapter and what I personally treat as the end of "Part One" of this story.</p><p>It's so great to be back! First, I want to thank all of you for all the support and encouraging words you've sent me. It gave me the motivation to continue writing and to get a newfound appreciation for my works. Reading your comments helped a lot when I was in hiatus, and I hope I made your day a little bit better with this update.</p><p>The first few days after I stopped writing was hard, but the free days did give me a chance to read what I have put out so far and to think about what direction I want this story to go, and I'm so excited to eventually share it with you!</p><p>Lots of love and stay safe, dear readers!</p>
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